The Eyes of the Wolverine
by Joe 'Po' Navark
Summary: Po, Jo and the rest are targeted by an undefeated kung fu warrior who wants a deadly debt paid. Amidst the peril Jo has his first experience with romance, all the while being shadowed by a mysterious wolverine of unknown origins. Next Dragon Warrior vol. 3. Please Review!
1. Ch 1 Who's Watching?

_Well, I'm back again,_

_I had a lot of ideas for this story so I finally decided to do it._

_And now it's time for the third installment of The Next Dragon Warrior. __It picks up right where I left off. Jo is thirteen and still training as the second (next) Dragon Warrior. _

_So... let's jump right in_

* * *

><p><span>The Next Dragon Warrior<span>  
><span>Volume 3<span>  
><strong><span>The Eyes of the Wolverine<span>**

First it was teacher to student.  
>Then it was father to son.<br>Now, it's man to man.

-The Karate Kid Part III

First it was student to student  
>Then it was brother to brother<br>Now it's master to master

- The Next Dragon Warrior Vol. 3

* * *

><p><strong><em>You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.<em>  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 1  
><strong>**Who's Watching?**

We stayed locked in that hug for a good while on the bunkhouse porch. _I guess this hug is making up for lost time._ After Po finally released me from the hug, he and I went back to staring up at the sky. Both of us just reflecting over all that had happened within the last week. 9 days ago I was worried that I would never see my master or my best friend ever again. All the worries from a life-threatening journey were passed. Shifu's former colleagues Valko Monetenegro and Keen Lee were both gone, and _I'm here with my best friend _

Eventually Po stretched his arms and said "It's gonna feel good to actually sleep in my own bed tonight."

"Yeah, I-" I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of the figure that stood in the dirt path only a short distance away from the porch. Half enveloped in the darkness, he watched us as if with growing curiosity.

"What is it?" Po asked trying to look in the direction I was. As he did though, the creature receded into the darkness somehow without movement. I stared around the area where I'd seen... what ever it was I saw- or might not have seen. "I saw someone watching us."

Po squinted looking out in the darkness. "Doesn't look like anyone is there now."

I knew my eyes hadn't fooled me. There had been someone staring at Po and I on the porch. _But why would me and Po hugging be of any concern to him? And how did they get away with so little effort?_ I tried to shake it off with a laugh. "I'm still a little on edge from the journey, I guess."

"The paranoia will pass, Jo." Po said with a smile. "It always does."

I nodded unsure if I was actually agreeing or was just doing it out of of habit of my usual reaction with Po. We both started inside the bunkhouse. I made sure the bunkhouse door was locked before we both walked to our rooms after saying goodnight. Although the hallway was empty the two yellow orbs were still plain in my mind as if they were still there...

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stillness<strong>_

_The eyes that watch me  
><em>_As silent as a shadow  
><em>_Hold secrets within..._

_**Jo Dakota Crevan  
><strong>__**X. T. G.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>3 Months Later<strong>_

Standing on the Jade tortoise bowl was shakier than usual this time. Even with its heavy mass, Po's added weight on the opposite end of me made usually insignificant movements capable of overturning the bowl. Of course that may have been the very purpose for this particular lesson.

The crane balance had been the first thing I'd learned at the palace. Now, a year and a few months past, I was actually practicing it in the training hall. Po and I were both balancing on one leg slowly raising both hands off of our waists. We had been holding the position for about a minute now. _Minutes always seem longer when you're standing still._ I had long since mastered the bowl, traversing it's 5 inch edge while fending off innocuous projectiles. Although I feel I should mention, most of the maneuvers I did on the bowl gave me access to using both of my legs. I wasn't able to do much with the bowl once we had returned due to my injured leg. But once it had healed, Shifu started me back on the Spinning logs again although he allowed me to practice with it for a while until I moved on to the gauntlet of Wooden warriors. The gauntlet seemed no more harder than facing 52 kung fu students, especially considering the latter was very hard to begin with.

"It's actually easier to balance on this than it is those wooden stakes we had last year." I said. Although I forgot to mention how it was a bit more daunting to do it on the bowl. Standing on the giant bowl's edge kept me about 5 feet off the ground. I looked at Po, whose eyes seemed to convey that there was something more that was going to be added to this. It was too simple for a lesson.

"What's the catch?" I asked.

Po chuckled seeing I had caught on. "I'm teaching you to do a kick while balancing."

"That's it?" I asked still waiting for something else.

"It's a jump kick." Po said finally.

Now, that made it harder. The bowl edge might have seemed easier than the stakes but to jump and land back on it without falling the 5 feet to the ground would be tough.

"I think I've seen this move before. How come it's not taught earlier on?"

"Truthfully," Po said, "it's not a recommended attack. I mean it's a powerful kick, but not as much as people think, and it's only advisable if you have a clear shot at your opponent, which isn't all that common in most real life situations."

"Then why is it so popular?" I asked.

"Honestly," Po said. "people just think it looks really cool."

I laughed but not much not wanting to lose my balance.

"There is actually is a similar kick," Po said. "less known, but with more power behind it. It's called a 'jumping front snap kick.' The main idea of it is to jump, kick and land with the same foot."

"Mind if we try that one when we're not standing on the bowl?" I said staring again at the area of space I had to stand on.

"Considering it requires a running start, I would expect so." He chuckled. "Now heres the basic form of the Crane jump kick."

Po balanced on his right leg, then with that same leg, jumped up in the air, shot his foot out in a powerful kick, then landed with his left leg on the bowl's edge. His landing immediately lowered his side. My side of the bowl quickly shot up throwing me off balance. I leaned forward to keep from falling backwards out of the bowl, but I only succeeded in falling into the bowl. I slid down the rounded edge on my stomache to the bottom of the basin. Po hopped down after me, bringing the bowl back to its flat position.

"You alright, J. C.?" Po asked slightly worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I stood up.

_How do I always end up falling down even when I'm not the one moving?_

Po said "Usually when I make my way to the bottom of a bowl, it's 'cause there was food in it, and it's usually alot more satisfying than this."

I laughed again brushing myself off. Po and I climbed out of the bowl and onto the solid ground of the training hall.

Po said "Maybe someone more... physically compatible should teach you the Crane jump kick on the bowl. You might wanna ask Crane tomorrow."

"For his namesake." I said.

Po said "I guess I'll show you the basic form of the snap kick. It takes more practice than the other, so it will take a while to get down right. Master Shifu always says there aren't many shortcuts in kung fu."

"'There aren't many?'" I said. "I thought there weren't any."

"Well..." Po said thinking. "They're not _technically_ shortcuts. Even with them you have to commit to learning them. There the ones that require more thought than action. I'm mainly talking about stuff like the Wuxi Finger Hold, the nerve attack Tai Lung learned, or the one Master Oogway performed to stop Tai Lung.

"Master Oogway used one on Tai Lung?" I asked in awed. Even though it was common knowledge now that Master Oogway had been the one to end Tai Lung's first rampage, I never thought to question how he actually did it. I'd always assumed he had defeated him after a long battle of extensive kung fu.

Po said "When Tai Lung was denied the Dragon Scroll he attacked the Jade Palace attempting to take it himself. When Master Shifu faltered Oogway stopped him. It was a type of paralyzing attack known as 'the Pentad Strike.' It was even more powerful than the one Tai Lung used against the Five and tried to use on you and me. The one Tai knew could immobilize someone while they were still fully conscious. The one Oogway used could completely knock out it's opponent. Naturally it takes more to do it. Shifu only saw him use it that one time in the Hall of Warriors. He said Oogway struck Tai Lung on his body in 5 different places, 'pressure points' he said, causing these golden ripples across his body. Then he just dropped to the ground, unconscious, not a muscle moved, not even an eye twitch."

I could hardly believe what Po was telling me. All the same, I didn't question anything from Master Oogway let alone Po for a second. "Did he teach you that?" I asked wishing he did so Po could teach me.

"No." Po said, shooting down my short-lived hope. "He didn't even teach it to Master Shifu. Oogway was the only person who knew it. Once he died, the secret went with him."

"It makes you wonder, doesn't it?" I said. "What else do you think he knew that no one else knew?"

"Master Shifu said that when he left us, that he said it was his time to go. Maybe he thought we didn't need any of it. Maybe he figured we'd do well with the knowledge he had left us with."

I shrugged. "It's done us well so far."

Po smiled in agreement. "All right," he said stepping back in front of me readying the next lesson. "The jumping front snap kick."

* * *

><p><em>There's the first chapter for ya. <em>

_Thanks so much for reading!_

**_The next chapter is where the fun starts!_**

_If you could review it would make my day!_


	2. Ch 2 The Mission

_Hey guys, I see you decided to stop by again. Thanks_

_Here's the second chapter for you_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 2  
><strong>**The Mission**

I wanted to ask Crane to show me the crane jump kick before the days training began. The other day Po was able to get me through the basics of the jumping snap kick but I was far from perfecting it. We both agreed since the Crane kick was the simpler of the two it might be better to start with it.

I walked down the hallway to ask Crane in his room. When I walked in I saw he was packing supplies into a bag.

"Packing for another mission?" I asked.

I had gotten used to these missions they went on. Aside from my last Birthday when they claimed to have gone on a mission, they had several others before and in between. They would usually last a full day but sometimes they'd be gone longer than that. On days like that it would just be me and Zeng at the Palace. He and I barely talked to begin with. Usually Master Shifu would ask me to relay messages to Zeng for him, often palace chores, but an actual unplanned conversation was rare. Needless to say, it was fairly quiet without anyone to talk to or train with. It was the best time for me to work on a few poems.

"Yeah," Crane said. "Master Shifu was only told about it the other day. So packing is kind of a last minute thing."

"How long will you all be gone this time?" I asked wanting to know how many days I had to relish being off Shifu's strict schedule. I was already loving the idea of sleeping late the next few days. Of course I'd still train some, but with alot less restrictions.

Crane looked at me confused. "Po didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" _obviously not_

Crane responded "You're coming with us on this one."

I stared at Crane in shock. "Seriously? My first mission?"

"You didn't think this day would ever come?" Crane asked smiling.

"Well I knew it would come eventually, just... not now." I was still a little in shock that Master Shifu was finally allowing me to come. Was this a sign? Had he at last decided I was mature enough to handle myself, granted I was only thirteen. I was momentarily nervous about it. _How life-threatening is this undertaking?_ The feeling passed as I reminded myself that the Masters would be with me this time. It wouldn't be as hard as the time I rescued them. That must be the reason Shifu felt I was ready. "What time are we leaving tomorrow?"

Crane stood up straight pondering the realization that it was a simple fact of the trip that he had yet to question. After thinking a bit more he said "Shifu's probably in his room. Maybe ask him. Tell me what he says."

"Okay, thanks." I left his room forgetting to even ask about the lesson. _I'll ask after I see Shifu._ Within a few steps I was at Shifu's doorway. He wasn't there, though I instantly saw a travel bag already packed at the foot of his bed. Differences were easy to spot in Shifu's room. Nothing was ever out of place. The place was as organized as Mafia crime. As my eyes barely scanned the room the only difference now was the bag and a torn envelope on Shifu's desk. Next to it a once folded piece of paper lay open.

I knew I shouldn't. I should just wait for him to come back later.

_Come on, Shifu, how do you expect me to ignore something like that?_

I crossed the room and picked up the paper. I knew before picking it up that it was the reason for our (_I can finally say 'our'!_) mission. The letter was not very regal looking. It obviously was not sent by anyone of high power, otherwise it probably would have been sent on a scroll with it's own emblem and fancy looking ink. I was slightly disappointed at this. It would have been cool to be summoned by some famous emperor of a foreign land. That would make a good story for my next sleep over with Lucas and Dew. The letter was written in a ragged handwriting that was oddly very legible.

_Well I've gathered all I can from looking at the letter, maybe I should actually READ it_

* * *

><p><em>Dear Shifu<em>

_ I must say, I was a bit taken aback when you informed me of you and your students' escape from the imprisonment of two our former friends._

_ As you know my business sometimes put's me in the district of some less-than reputable characters. I've been hearing information around Rem Hai that may be of some concern to you. There has been word of a deadly fighter in our midst. I feel that this situation calls for you and your students' expertise more than ever._

_ I'll be able to give you more information once we are together. It is my hope that you can come to Rem Hai to apprehend this villain. You may stay at my residence as long as you need or until this menace is stopped. I suggest that you gather all of your students and leave as soon as possible. The Palace may not be a safe place. _

_I'll be awaiting you soon._

_Sincerely,_

_ S. O. Z._

* * *

><p>I placed the paper down where it had been, not a moment later Shifu appeared in the doorway.<p>

_Too close_

"Jo, may I help you?" Shifu asked, his voice evincing suspicion. It always seemed like an unspoken rule to not be in Shifu's room with out him.

I quickly answered "I was looking for you."

"You had to walk all the way into my room to see that I wasn't in here?" Shifu asked with what I hope was jocularity.

Rather than answer the question I remarked "Crane said something about a mission tomorrow that I was coming on too. I wanted to ask if you knew how long we would be gone."

Forgetting the trespassing, Shifu said "With expeditions it's never really easy to say how long they will last. Although with this one, I feel it will take a bit longer than most, so pack heavy. We'll be taking the coach early in the morning."

"Thank you, Master." I said with a bow. I walked out into hallway again.

_"you and your students' escape from the imprisonment"_

"_Escape"_, the writer of the letter didn't care to clarify that it was mostly a rescue on my part. Maybe that seemed selfish considering I eventually had to be rescued too. They probably just didn't know the details. Very few did.

I had received letters from Cash every so often. He told me alot about progress of the new schools that were to take the place of the ones that had since disbanded over the downfall of their headmasters. Cash had told me that the deaths of Montenegro and Lee within a few days of each other had reached several surrounding villages. Although, at the request of Master Shifu, the papers kept it sketchy, they made it clear to the public that Montenegro and Lee had been in the action of abduction, and attempted murder and were killed in the altercation. Even I was surprised at the respect Master Shifu held with outsiders to the Valley. As far as who killed them, remained a mystery to most everyone except for those who had been there. Either way Valko and Keen, the rabbit and weasel, were both gone and Valko's assistant, Quiang, was in jail. None of the students were detained due to them acting solely under the false implications of their masters' directions and they all agreed not to spread the truth of what all had happened.

"_The Palace may not be a safe place."_

I also found this strange. _What place could be safer than the Jade Palace?_ But I had to remind myself that it is the same place that Lee and his students were able to break into to take the Masters. But if this was just one warrior, we could take him, couldn't we?

"_I feel that this situation calls for you and your students' expertise more than ever."_

_students' expertise, not student's, but students'. As in not one of us but all of us._

Was it possible it was my expertise they needed?

_Expertise in what? Shurikin throwing?_

It was likely they just needed all the help they could get _Against one warrior?_ Either way, it must have been something big.

As I started to walk back to Crane's room to ask him my original question and tell him what Shifu told me, Po appeared in the hallway.

"Hey, Jo. What's up?" he said.

I smiled jokingly. "Not much, I'm just about to go pack. Apparently you didn't feel the need to tell me about the mission that I'm coming."

Po facepalmed. "J.C., I'm sorry. I meant to tell you but then I... forgot." he said honestly having no legitimate excuse.

"It's ok, Po." I said. "I'm too excited about my first mission to even pretend to be mad."

* * *

><p>He stood there, maybe 3 yards from me.<p>

His build, while muscular was not so detectable beneath his thick brown coat of fur. His darkly colored shirt and pants, which looked more like work clothes, did little to add color to his appearance. His arms were folded comfortably. He had a dark brown muzzle that I knew was concealing rows of shredding teeth. He didn't show his fangs though. He never did. His appearance was a mixture of arresting and casual, but what took me most was his eyes. The yellow orbs were perfectly visible in the late afternoon half-darkness. His eyes though fierce and firm, had a calming effect, like a gentle breeze. He had been coming more frequently since our first encounter on the porch.I lifted my head a few inches off the pillow, as my half-sleep state made it difficult. I smiled to him. Though he didn't return it, he seemed to acknowledge it in a way that told me he appreciated the gesture. He nodded in an understanding way and I nodded back before laying my head back down to sleep.

Not 10 seconds later the door to my room slid open. It was Po. "Hey, there. Was wondering where you were."

I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes with my palm. "I guess I fell asleep after training with Crane. I was a little exhausted."

"Well dinner's ready if your hungry. Everyone else is already heading to the kitchen." Po said.

"Oh, good." I said weakly. I glanced with a look of mild worry on my face back at the spot where the wolverine was not a moment ago, half-expecting him to appear again.

"Jo, are you alright." Po asked concerned. He sat down next to me on my bed (As he did, my side rose a few inches). I kinda expected him to ask eventually. I knew I had started acting a little weirder ever since I'd started seeing this creature. I'd started zoning out in thought (more than I already do) and, as others started pointing out to me, I wasn't talking as much. And Po had noticed. Of course he had noticed. I knew he was worried about me. He probably thought I was still having trouble letting go about the deaths of Montenegro and Lee, or was having recurring nightmares like before. I hadn't felt comfortable telling him about the wolverine. I didn't want Po to think I was going insane. Of course, it occurred to me that if anyone was going to think less of me it wouldn't be Po. _Maybe I ought to ease his mind._

"I'm okay." I said reassuringly. "It's just... Can I tell you a secret, Po?"

Po smiled. "Do you even have to ask?"

I laughed. "I guess not."

"What's on your mind?" Po asked.

Trying to find a starting place I said "There's this weird dream I keep having. I've started having it alot recently, and I'm not even sure if it is a dream. It feels so real. Sometimes it happens anywhere. Walking down the street in the village. Training in the training hall. But most of the time it happens when I'm asleep. I see this tall wolverine. He just stands there watching me."

"Wow," Po said sitting back as if he were trying to visualize what I was telling him. "Kinda sounds scary."

"But that's just it." I said. "I don't feel scared. He never does anything, but I get this feeling that he's..." I grasped for the right words. "I don't know... guarding me or..."

"Protecting you?"

"Yeah. Exactly." I said feeling that Po had once again read my mind.

"Well, it doesn't sound like too bad of a dream then." Po said.

"Yeah, I guess so." having not thought in that perspective yet. "Do you think it means anything?"

Po sighed thinking to himself. "It's hard to say. But if it is important I'm sure it will reveal itself to you when the time is right. Dreams have a way of doing that."

I nodded.

Po patted me on the back. "Now come on. I've got dinner on the table."

* * *

><p><em>Hope you enjoyed it. I'm still trying to improve on the chapters to come. I would greatly appreciate any feedback you have, good or bad, it all helps in the end. Thanks again for reading.<em>


	3. Ch 3 Welcome to Rem Hai

_Hey!_

_Well, I'll be starting my second year of college soon, so it may be hard to keep up the chapters_

_I'm sorry if I always seem to have some excuse, but I hope you continue to read._

_Here's chapter 3 for ya_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 3  
><strong>**Welcome to Rem Hai**

By time the morning gong rang, the masters and I were already awake, fed, and walking down the village street to meet the coach. I had packed heavy as instructed. Among other things I had packed my shurikins and my obsidian knife (obviously). I regretted this slightly due to the weight that resided on my shoulders. I was glad we'd have the coach to take some of the edge off.

As the 7 of us walked down the road Po asked Master Shifu "How long do you expect the trip there to take?"

"Only a few hours." Shifu said. "We should get there by noon."

"Rem Hai isn't very far." I added to Po remembering passing it in my traveling to Pearljing.

Shifu slowly turned to me. "How did did you know Rem Hai was our destination?"

Po and a few members of the Five looked at me as well. I quickly remembered that I had only read Rem Hai in the private letter that in Shifu's mind, I didn't read.

"You told me." I answered trying to sound matter-of-factly.

"When?" Shifu asked confused.

"Yesterday, in your room, remember? I asked you when we were leaving and you said 'we're leaving tomorrow for Rem Hai.'"

Shifu looked bewildered. He glanced in another direction as if he was questioning how he got there.

"Yes well, you're right." he said beginning to walk again. "It's not that far, not as far as the Black Mountains or even Pearljing."

I didn't want Shifu to think he was imagining things, but in my haste there wasn't time to take in consideration for anything else. I admit, it probably wasn't a wise thing to outsmart Master Shifu, especially with an excuse that seemed paper thin, but I had the journey to keep my mind busy.

I saw that Shifu meant to tell us as little as possible about the journey till we got their. If all he knew was from the letter, he didn't know much to begin with. But I was sure Shifu would eventually bring up what S.O.Z. said about the Jade Palace not being safe. That was something I felt we had a right to know. Maybe he didn't want us to worry.

When we arrived at the coach, a dhole was driving it but I couldn't tell if it was the same one from the last time. We all climbed inside and found seats as the carriage started on it's way. The coach ride was better this time around, now that I wasn't alone. Best of all, there were no brigands during the trip, although now that Po and the Five were both here I have no doubt we could have taken them this time if we had to.

And that made me almost wish that more thieves were here just so we could have that opportunity. A while back Master Shifu, Po and the rest were all idols I just wished that I had a chance to meet in person. Now, not only am I living with them, but I'm gonna have my chance to fight along side them on this mission. As a follower of kung fu teaching, maybe it wasn't right to think this, but I couldn't wait for our first fight.

An hour or two into the ride I randomly remembered an idea that I had gotten for a poem last night before. I took out a piece of paper, buy I only got as far as the title (_Watchfulness) _when I heard Po's voice. "Did you tell your parents about the mission?"

"Yeah," I said sticking the paper back in my leather folder. "They know that I'm gonna be gone a little longer this time."

"How did they react?" Po asked knowing my parents had not always been so phlegmatic about my possibly dangerous situations.

"They promised not to worry as long as I promised to come back alive." I answered with a chuckle. "I think the last mission- the unplanned mission- got them a little worked up, but it also prepared them to... 'let go,' as everyone else says."

"Of course," Po said agreeing. "Keep in mind, they're letting go at the age of 13. Most parents don't let go till later. My dad had a hard time with that too. He knows there's a risk. But he's gotten to the point where it doesn't worry him as much."

"I guess he knows you'll be gone too." I said.

"He said he can handle the noodle shop on his own for-"

The dhole shouting cut him off. "Rem Hai!" The coach came to a stop at the edge of the city. As Shifu and the rest of us stepped off of the coach he said "We can walk from here."

"You want any help with that bag, J.C.?" Po asked.

"No" I said wishing I could have the decency to just say "Yes" as I lugged my bag off of the coach.

We began walking down the street of the village. The village was not unlike that of Pearljing; urban in style, less like a village and more like a city, a variety of shops on every block. People bustled by in a friendly enough manner but paid little attention to the eight newcomers of their village. I guess I preferred it that way. There wouldn't be any hassling questions as to what are business was should anyone know who we were. And why would they pay any attention to us? The weather was fair, only a few wandering clouds in a brightly sunny sky. Most people were taking advantage of the weather and spending their time outside. You'd hardly think this was a town with "a deadly fighter in their midst." That was another thing. Shifu hadn't told us yet; Who exactly summoned us to this city in the letter?

As I was thinking this, Viper asked Master Shifu "Where exactly are we going?"

"We're staying at a friend of mine's residence." Shifu replied, still walking. "One you all will know. It's just up ahead."

I could tell this got the rest of them thinking, but it probably helped them more than it helped me. I knew that Shifu was acquaintances with several kung fu masters across the country, but none that I knew well.

"Have you been here before?" Tigress asked.

Shifu replied "Only a hand-full of times. We're coming up to it right now."

We approached what I assumed were our accommodations, It took up most of the busy street corner. A large house that managed to blend in with the other residences despite it's size. Much of the added size was due to one side of the house that had been refashioned into what looked similar to the blacksmith or carpentry shops in the Valley. I saw a furnace with dying embers and on the tables and benches, several shiny black rock fragments. Aptly enough the smith shop was called "The Black Stone" according to the small sign just outside on the sidewalk.

The black fragments looked familiar to me. _They remind me of..._

The front door of the building opened, the one who opened the door turned out to be Saxon Zadora.

..._Obsidian _/_S.O.Z._

"Shifu, you made it." the albino raccoon exclaimed.

"Good evening, Saxon." Shifu said with a smile.

He gripped Shifu's hand in one of those friendly 2-handed hand shakes. Usually a greeting that involved Shifu consisted of simple bow, but Shifu didn't seem to mind the break in tradition, likely due to the Quinquagenarians' long standing friendship.

He wore the same brick-colored pants and large sleeved shirt that I had seen him wear when we first met. The sleeves were currently rolled up away from his spiked wristbands and his hematite ring wasn't on his right ring finger, evidence that he had been working.

"How was the trip?" he asked Shifu.

"No problem that I know of." Shifu responded. Shifu noticed the sign on the side shop. "'The Black Stone,' That name is new. But it does suit the place."

Glancing at it Mr. Zadora said "My daughter came up with the name. She said it was time my business needed a title."

"How is Jada?" Shifu asked. "I haven't seen the young girl in years."

"The young girl is officially a teenager." he said with a fatherly admiration.

"We're not pulling you away from a customer I hope." Shifu said noting his work-like attire as I had.

He waved away Shifu's faint concern. "Not at all. Just working on a few products for a consumer out of town."

As the rest of us approached, Mr. Zadora's eyes fell on me and Po. "And here they are. The two Dragon Warriors themselves. Po, I trust things are going well."

"Can't complain." Po replied.

"And Jo, how have you been?" he asked me as if he were a relative at a family reunion. I almost expected him to tell me how big I've gotten.

"Good, Mr. Zadora." I said.

He shook his head with a laugh. "Kid, what did I tell ya last time?"

"Saxon." I corrected with a smile.

"I got the 'thank you' letter from you a few months back."

"I just had to thank you again." I said candidly. "The knife really saved my life."

"So I'd heard." he said before going to greet the rest of the Masters.

I had anticipated a longer response. When he stopped short I couldn't help but notice it. I hoped he wasn't turned off by the fact that I had used his gift to end someone's life. After all, it took me a while to adjust to it. To forget the look of Keen Lee's utterly shocked eyes after I stabbed him. But he must have known it would happen eventually. He was a weapons crafter after all. People probably used his merchandise all the time for that purpose.

_S.O.Z.: As you know my business sometimes put's me in the district of some less-than reputable characters._

Once he was done reacquainting himself with the Five he said "I guess as a host, now is the time when I show you all where you can put your things." With that he lead us into his house.

Already I had established that his house while large was basic looking. Now that we were inside I saw that is was also very well furnished. I couldn't help but think that his career in weapons crafting gave him a lot of business. shifu himself said that Saxon was the best weapons crafter China had ever known. After the performance of his knife, I didn't doubt it.

As we were walking Saxon said "I hope my house is to your liking."

"We've stayed at much worse on missions before, Saxon." Shifu said.

Although I wasn't sure what Shifu was referring to in his case, from my own perspective an actual house was better than the oak tree I had slept under on my excursion to find the masters.

Now he lead us up a flight of stairs and from there down a long hallway. "Viper, you and Tigress will be staying with my daughter in her room." he said gesturing to the first door.

"She doesn't mind us intruding?" Viper asked.

Saxon answered humorously "If you were a teenage girl would you mind if two renowned kung fu warriors wanted to stay with you? Seriously, she's thrilled."

"As long as we're not a bother." Viper said. She and Tigress opened the door and entered as the rest of us continued.

At the next room Saxon opened the door and said "Po, this will be yours and Jo's room."

Po and I walked into the room gratefully giving our bags up as Saxon finished showing Crane, Mantis, and Monkey their room. There were two separate beds made against the opposing walls. The room was small but far from cramped. It was bare, a clear sign that whoever had moved out of the room had done so a long time ago.

Po examined the bed before dropping down on the bed as if to say 'home sweet home.' He looked over at me. "Just like old times, huh roomie?"

"Yeah," I repeated. "Just like old times."

* * *

><p>One plate at the long dinner table had yet to receive an occupant. We had been told dinner was ready 10 minutes ago. Saxon had made the meal himself. Po was now offering to make the dinner for a future night here.<p>

"Balderdash," Saxon said. "You're guest here."

Shifu said "As long as we're guest here we want to help, Saxon. We don't want to be anything close to a burden."

"You all? A burden?" he said feigning disbelief. "I couldn't imagine it." Turning his attention to the empty seat he said "Has anyone seen Jada?"

"She was still in her room last time I saw her." said Tigress.

"That's Jada for you." Saxon said. "When she gets deep into her craft she tunes everything else out."

"Sounds a lot like her father." Shifu said with a smile. "Not that that's a bad thing."

Saxon said. "Would someone mind going to tell her dinner's ready?"

"I'll go." I said going off of what Shifu said about helping out as guest, although it was probably not what Shifu meant.

"Do you remember where her room was." Saxon asked.

"I think so." I said not really sure but I assumed it would be hard to actually get lost in this house.

I walked through the still-not-familiar hallways finding Jada's room. Unlike before, the door was open this time. At a desk cluttered with tiny scraps of metal, colored glass fragments and shiny stones she sat examining several pieces individually. I could see what her father meant about tuning everything else out. It took her maybe 10 seconds to notice I was standing in her doorway. When she did she said "Hey, you must be one of the people staying here. I'm Jada."

Her purple kimono style shirt and pants were a surprisingly perfect accent to her light gray fur. Her fur was lighter than average, but not as light as her father's, and I figured her mother must not be albino. Her light blue eyes were delicately draped by the black mask of fur that her father was devoid of. Yet before all of this, the thing that struck me first was that I found her kind of attractive.

"I'm Jo." finding nothing else to really be said. _Howabout 'dinner's ready'?_

She nodded with cognizance. "So you're Jo?" She said looking me up and down without judgement. "My dad told me about you. You're Shifu's newest student."

"Yeah, well I've been with him a year now, so I'm not exactly new anymore." I didn't want her to think I was some tag-along without experience. After all, I was asked to come on this mission.

"You're the one my dad made the knife for a few months ago right?"

"Yeah, that's me." I said. "That knife was something else" _When have I ever used that phrase before?_

"It should be, I helped make that knife" she said rather dignified.

"You do work with your dad?" I asked.

Jada said "Well when you're the youngest of 4 you take up from what they learned."

"You have siblings? Your dad didn't say anything about other kids here."

"Two brothers and one sister," she said. "But there all living out of the house now. My sister Maylin is married. My brothers Lok and Zemin aren't but both live on their own now. I guess it's one of their rooms you're staying in."

"So it's just you and your parents living here?" I asked.

"Lately, it's been just me and my dad. My mom likes to travel alot. She's all about 'exploring the world' and 'seizing the day.' She's weird like that." she said with a shrug.

"She sounds like a free spirit." I said.

"You have no idea." she said with a surprisingly glum expression but almost immediately bounced back saying "What about you? Do you have a large family?"

"No, not me." I said. "I'm an only child."

"Your parents decided not to try for more when one was enough trouble." She said with a smile.

_She's got a sense of humor too._

I laughed. "Actually, I was adopted. It's a long story." Almost instantly I wished I hadn't mentioned that fact, especially following her joke. It seemed like one of those things that would drag a conversation down. _Years of practice and your still not good with conversation? _

"Long stories usually turn out to be the best ones." she replied as if disregarding what I said. She was the first person who didn't tread carefully about my mention of being adopted. But I found that I liked that too.

_Why was it such a touchy subject to begin with?  
><em>_Was it even a touchy subject?  
><em>_Maybe I should stop treating it like one._

"So what are you making there?" I asked gesturing to her "craft" as Saxon had called it.

"Not much" she said. "Just some jewelry. Sort of a hobby of mine. That thing that everyone has that takes up a good deal of their time; this is mine."

"Everyone has one." I said.

"What's yours?" she asked.

Before I knew what to respond with Po appeared next to me in the doorway. "Master Shifu was wondering what was taking so long."

I immediately said "Oh sorry I got sidetracked talking to _don't tell me you already forgot her name_ Jada."

"Wow," Jada said "Both the Dragon Warriors right here in my room."

Po chuckled humbly. While I followed suit he said "Your father just wanted to say that dinner's ready."

Jada replied "I better go then. He doesn't always have the best patience when it comes to his stomach."

I watched as she got up and walked down the hall to the stairs. After a few seconds I felt a nudge from Po's elbow. I turned to look and I saw Po standing there, his arms folded, with the goofiest smile on his face. "You little Casanova you."

"What?" I asked thoroughly bewildered.

"I saw the way you were looking at her." Po said gesturing to where Jada had just sat.

"I wasn't looking at her in any way." I said.

Po said "Well I saw the way she was looking at you."

My heart leapt. "She was?"

Po pointed at me "Ha! I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"You like her." His shamrock eyes that always seemed to read my thoughts were now giddy with elation.

"We just met, I don't like her." I said defensively. "At least..." I stared at where she had just gone down the stairs. "I don't know if I do."

* * *

><p><em>Thanks again for reading<em>

_BE TRUE_

_RE-VIEW_


	4. Ch 4 Severin Cai

_I had some time trying get this chapter just right. The trouble really starts here._

_side note: Apparently the word "avengeance" isn't a real word like I thought, but since when has a word not being real ever stopped me from using it before?_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 4  
><strong>**Severin Cai**

I was still trying to get over how much more casual Master Shifu was around Saxon. Saxon had some kind of effect on him that drew him away from his stiff-necked, routine-thriving, strictness. Saxon too seemed different than the first time I remembered seeing him. My first impression of him when Po had introduced me a few months back left me almost too nervous to talk to him. He'd seemed so grandiose and imposing which he still was, but he had the lighter side. That side showed even more when Shifu was around. The two did a good deal of talking to each other during dinner, recounting old stories and trading new ones.

I also couldn't get over what Po had said upstairs.

_Do I like Jada like that?_ I didn't believe in love at first sight, but then again I knew this wasn't love. Sure after one conversation I had decided that I did like her as a person, but that was about the extent of it. She was admittedly pretty, but so were alot of people I've seen _Not that I can think of alot right now_. So what was it then? Why was I still thinking about her?

It was a want to know more. I was intrigued by her. Even though right now the mission intrigued me more than anything, it didn't mean I couldn't get to know her while we were here. She and Saxon were clearly close as father and daughter and joked with each other on and off through out dinner when he wasn't talking to Master Shifu.

Near the end of dinner once most our plates were cleared (except for Po who was having seconds) Saxon said to Po and I "So, I heard you two got to see Jada's biggest preoccupation."

"I'd like to think of it as an art." Jada said taking pride in her jewelry making.

"I don't know where she got it from." Saxon said chuckling.

"Growing up around shiny stuff might have had something to deal with it." she said hinting to her dad's business. "But finding a variety of different shiny rocks is getting harder now."

As Po finished swallowing a bite he said "You know, Jo's parents own a shop back in the Valley of Peace that sells polished stones and gems."

I immediately looked at Po uneasily wondering what he was up to. His eyes seemed to say. "Don't worry, I'm helping ya out buddy. Trust me."

"Is that so?" Saxon said.

"Maybe they can give you a good deal." Po said before glancing over at me signaling my turn to talk.

"Uh yeah. They've got a pretty good business." I said trying to follow what he was hinting. "They might be able to."

"Well that's something we both have in common." Jada said. "We both grew up around shiny stuff." _She's looking for what we have in common. That's a good sign, right? _

It was the truth though. I could remember at a very young age sitting in a corner of my parent's shop playing with some scrap pieces of their shiny rocks while they dealt with customers. Once or twice a customer would ask who "that little badger" belonged to. One of my parents would then reply with a chuckle that I was theirs.

"I guess I did." I said meekly trying to keep my eye contact with her.

Saxon remarked "I'm sure it's just one of many things you inherited from me."

"I'm also good with my hands, if that's one." she said.

Saxon smiled guilefully. "Then would you mind putting your hands to use tonight and doing the dishes?"

Jada saw that she had been tricked by her own words but didn't object. "Very well," she said feigning dramaticness. "Off to the scullery I go." she pushed away from the table and left the room. Saxon watched as she left. Once she was out of sight he turned to Master Shifu saying "I guess nows the time I tell you why I summoned you. I didn't want her to know the full details of you're reason for being here.

Shifu looked at him curiously. "Is she unaware of the danger in the city?"

"Oh I told her there was a problem," Saxon said, "but not to the severity."

The rest of the Five were silenced hearing for the first time spoken that there was danger in the city.

Shifu sat up straight in his chair before asking "What is the problem in the city."

Saxon began "As I said in the letter addressing you all, our city has become the home to an unwanted menace. Due to his background, I felt there was no one better to call upon than you and your students."

"What exactly is his background?" Shifu asked. "And who is 'he'?"

Saxon responded "His name is Severin. Severin Cai. He's a lynx, in his mid 20's now I suppose. And his background, as you might have guessed, is in kung fu. He's been well equipped with the skill, unfortunately by two unorthodox and now deceased kung fu teachers."

Shifu said "I take it you mean Keen Lee and Valko Montenegro?"

My senses heightened at that point. If I hadn't been paying full attention already, I certainly was now.

"Precisely." Saxon said nodding. "He is the only person to have been a student of both Montenegro and Lee. He drifted back and forth between his two masters for years. Ultimately he stayed with Montenegro at his school. I suppose you can say he's gotten the best and worst of both worlds. He has received double the amount of training than any student from either side and inherited their equally ruthless practice of kung fu."

"I don't recall a lynx being in the group that attacked us." Shifu said looking at the rest of us for confirmation. Most of us gave agreeing looks. Even though I wasn't there the night they were attacked, I didn't remember seeing a lynx at either school, although his existence could have easily been blurred amongst the 52 students at Keen Lee Academy.

"I didn't think so." said Saxon. I could tell he must have been trying to piece together what bits of the story he had heard with what Shifu had told him previously plus what we were telling him now. It couldn't have been easy. "Not long before the duo captured most of you all, he left Valko for some time temporarily on unknown orders from him. It was while he was away that Keen and Valko plotted the abduction, attempting to quench their thirst for revenge and do away with you all and Master Oogway, I assume, as a way ridding China of their biggest threats in the world of Kung Fu. Killing two birds with one stone in their mind. But the rest is history, as you all know the ending better than I do.

"Severin returned a month later only to find every local newspaper reporting the death of both of his masters. And that's why I knew to call you here. From what I heard, once he had enough stolen money to make him satisfied he would eventually make his way to the Valley of Peace."

"But the newspapers didn't report how they died." Viper broke in. "How did he even know to go to the Jade Palace? The only other people who knew the facts about their deaths were their students and they all took a vow of secrecy."

For a second I felt the explanation was rather penetrable. Viper seemed to have a lot of faith in these students that had partaken in their capturing. Anyone of them could have decided to turn traitor for no other reason than doing so. Especially if they were being threatened by a warrior as imposing as Saxon was making Severin out to be.

But she and Saxon brought to light the point of our mission. This warrior, Severin. We weren't just protecting the village from him. We were protecting ourselves. He was after us.

"All but one." Shifu said just realizing it himself. "Montenegro's second in command, the crane."

"Quiang." I said. I briefly felt useful being able to give a piece of information.

_Show you're a valuable member and there will be many more missions to come_

Saxon nodded at both of our comments. "In the end, he didn't need the papers. He visited Quiang in jail. He gave him all the information he needed. I'm afraid he knows everything."

"That's comforting," Crane said sarcastically with a tinge of worry hidden in his words.

"What else do we know about him?" Shifu asked as if starving for information having gotten a taste of it.

"After he visited Quiang he began is life in the back-alleys. He's an underground street fighter now, making his wins in street fights where people place bets and partake in watching the thrashings. Although now he has resorted to petty theft to get by."

Mantis snorted. "He can't be such a great fighter if he has to steal to make a living."

Saxon looked toward him. "The problem for him isn't winning, it's finding someone willing to go up against a fighter who's never been defeated before. Every once in a while he finds some cocky fighter that thinks they can best him. That often results disastrously."

Mantis remained quiet while seeming to shrink back into his seat that already seemed to swallow him do to its size.

Saxon went on "It's his persistent hunger for avengeance for both of his masters that had me worried. He is still in Rem Hai though."

"You've seen him?" Shifu asked.

"His break-ins and other destruction have caused somewhat of a silent panic in the city. People's homes have been broken into, businesses have been terrorized, and I am sure he'll cause more mayhem until he is stopped. The local authorities have tried to keep the people calm, but otherwise haven't gotten anywhere with him. Severin is nothing to take lightly, Shifu. As I've said, he's undefeated."

"Only because he's never met us." Tigress said quite poised.

Shifu nodded confidently at Tigress's response and said firmly to Saxon. "If he wants to come after us, Saxon, then let him."

The rest, including me, followed Tigress' lead, showing our belief in our triumph over this new foe. At first we did it out of seeking approval from Shifu as well, but it quickly refined into sincere thought. There was a consensus among the table then. Morale rose like a morning sun. All of our minds seemed to coalesce on the same thought;

_Severin doesn't know who he's messing with_

For some reason, it didn't matter to any of us that some neurotic kung fu fighter wanted us all dead. He wanted us as a team, we would take him down as a team.

But that was where I was wrong

Saxon glanced at our camaraderie as if not wanting to spoil it. He gave a confused look before saying weightily. "It's not like that, Shifu."

The confidence at the table fell almost instantly even though no one was quite sure just why, yet. Shifu looked at Saxon questioningly "You mean to tell me he doesn't want to kill us?"

Saxon breathed deeply and replied "Only if each one of you stuck the knife in Lee and the shurikin in Montenegro."

Shifu turned his gaze down the table toward me. A second later, everyone else at the table followed. I couldn't blame them one bit. If I could, I would have looked at me too. Saxon's look toward me was almost apologetic. Everyone else shared the same stare. Darkness had cloaked their thoughts like nightfall.

My heart sank like a rock.

"He wants me."

* * *

><p><em>Come on, you had to know something like this was coming.<em>

_Tell me what you think!_


	5. Ch 5 The Prisoner

_Hey,_

_Thanks for stopping by again._

_Here's chapter 5_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 5  
><strong>**The Prisoner**

From that point on, the entire mission strategy changed.

Shifu was instantly concerned that I might have easily been spotted entering the city in broad daylight. Not only by Severin but anyone that might notice and happen to pass it along that a badger was in Rem Hai. As I had guessed, I was going to stick out like a sore thumb. Even Saxon said "I don't think I've seen another badger in Rem Hai before."

_I'm starting to wonder if the existence of other badgers is a myth_

How is it that my species consistently goes back and forth from being a blessing to being a hindering?

Master Shifu immediately decided that I wasn't to leave Saxon's house until they found Severin. During the day the Masters did their routine of visiting villagers whose homes had been broken into by Severin trying to see if their was anything they could tell them that would be useful. Unfortunately that was all they could do at the moment. Outside of knowing his motive and that he was in the city, there wasn't much else we knew about Severin's plot. Not having any of the equipment from the Jade Palace, I had only my basic kung fu forms to practice. My days didn't have their usual structured schedule. I was free to do whatever I wanted while I was here.

And I hated it.

When I first found out Shifu was allowing me to come on this journey, I couldn't stop thinking about how far I'd come in his eyes. I had thought that coming on this journey had been a sign that I was finally ready to fight along side the Masters. Before the first day here was even over I was already back to being the 8th wheel. Suddenly I was the one that needed to be protected.

_Jo: Fragile, Handle with care_

I wasn't some naive kid that always needed rescuing-

_Except after Valko sliced my leg with the katana and Crane flew me to the clinic..._

But other than that-

_...and when Po showed up right when Tai Lung was about to finish me off-_

Either way, I had proved that I could handle myself _at least decently_ in my fights with Park, and Keen Lee's students. I kept reminding myself of these events but soon they weren't enough to keep me going. I just wanted to be just another warrior fighting with the group. I wanted them to stop seeing me as the weak link that couldn't handle themselves.

Aside from this the other thing I hated was the mind-melting hours of boredom with the Masters gone and little to nothing for me to do during the day. Even in a house as large as Saxon's I spent much of my time in my room. Of course when I was board I was prone to wandering without direction, but like I said, there wasn't any where to go.

The one good thing that I thought might come out of this was that I had more time to get to know Jada. Unfortunately, as I probably should have guessed, she spent most of her time in her room with the door closed. Apparently the door being open the first night was just a one time thing. Any chance of "just happened to be passing by" was felled. And I didn't have the courage to actually open the door and start a conversation with her. _So much for a warrior that could handle himself._

It had been 3 days after our arrival. I was currently in my newest pastime of staring at the ceiling while lying on my bed.

_Captive of protection_

_a Hostage in paradise_

_a Well-furnished prison_

I ran through them in my head as potential titles for poems. Even though at this point I had written myself dry. In the last three days here I'd written 4 poems already. I had finished _Watchfulness_ doing my best to remember the wolverine and his night visits. I realized that since coming here, I hadn't seen him once. Where had he gone? Or was it because I had left the valley? Had he given up?

_Given up on what? I still don't know what he's doing._

I couldn't help but think that Po was right. Maybe he was some kind of protector. But even if that was true, why did he never say anything to me? And why had he just started appearing months ago and disappearing only recently.

I rolled over onto my stomach staring at the whiteness of my blank paper. After a few minutes, I put my pencil to the paper. I decided I couldn't stop from writing the inevitable.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Prisoner<strong>_

_Every direction I turn  
><em>_An obstruction berates me  
><em>_Like a slow-healing burn  
><em>_It irritates me  
><em>_Every hindrance and spurn  
><em>_Makes me long more to break free  
><em>_Impeded by plain solid walls  
><em>_They do not resent, grudge, or detest at all  
><em>_Objects that I cannot fight or attack  
><em>_How do things that don't feel keep me back?_

_**Jo Dakota Crevan  
><strong>__**X. T. G.**_

* * *

><p><em>A little scattered but decent.<em> Was it really a fitting poem though? After all, it wasn't the walls that kept me here. It was Shifu's order. That and the fear perpetuated by Severin.

_Severin Cai_

Beyond any reasoning, my thoughts had barely lasted on the lynx. Any normal person would have been scared out of their mind. Which I was. But at the same time I was too angry about my situation to be scared. It was creepy to know that someone who had never met you wanted to bring harm to you. Bust still It was hard to be afraid of something you had never seen before.

_Out of sight, out of mind_

I looked back down at the poem. I wanted it to be longer, but I found my writing skills defunct at this point in time. I needed a distraction. I needed to get out of this house.

But that wasn't an option. So I decided to go see if Saxon needed any help in his shop. I made a slow (I could take my time) stride downstairs to his shop.

The workshop seemed to be a square cut out of the house corner. While still covered by roofing it lacked 2 walls that would have closed it off into the house. I wouldn't have been surprised if the shop had originally been a room in the house that had two of its conjoining walls taken down. This allowed open view of the street corner that the house resided on. People were passing by now in the early afternoon (What Mr. Ping had once called "the digesting hours.") Saxon it looked, was trying to work with a stone wheel mechanism. The wheel began to rotate as Saxon repeatedly pressed a peddle with his foot beneath it. I realized it was the same used by blacksmiths to sharpen tools and weapons.

He looked up from his contraption seeing me standing in the doorway. "Hey there, Jo." He stepped away from the wheel and it began to slow in speed and come to a stop.

"Hey. Need any help today?" I asked sort of hoping he did. Working with Saxon was better than nothing.

His eyes traveled around the room. Obviously he was looking for a job that needed to be done that didn't require much knowledge. Finally he settled on a large wooden box. "It would help if you could separate the different types of obsidian in that box for me."

"What's the difference?" I asked walking closer to the box.

Saxon stroked his hand through the shiny black rocks in the box that I could only assume were pieces of obsidian. "You see how some are slightly darker than the others?" I glanced at the contents of the box. Most of the pieces were in thin slabs a bit bigger than my hand. But I saw what he was talking about.

"Yeah, I see."

"The darker ones are the ones that have been... prepared for shaping. The rest haven't yet. Set them in different piles on the work bench."

I remembered Shifu telling me that Saxon had a method to strengthen obsidian to the sturdiness of steel known only to him. Although I was curious, I knew better than to ask. Shifu said he'd take it to his grave.

"If any of the unprepared ones have been broken put 'em in another pile. They might still be useful."

"You can make blades that small?" I asked picking up one of the obsidian fragments a little larger than my thumb.

He chuckled. "Maybe not a blade but arrowheads. Just be careful, some of the broken edges are pretty sharp."

"But you just ran your hand through them and your hands fine."

He held up a paw. "Calluses strengthened by years of work."

"In that case, thanks for the warning." I said.

I began my assigned job while he retreated back to the wheel.

"What have you been up to today?" he asked.

"A whole lot of nothing." I said intending to be funny but I was afraid it came out sounding like a complaint.

"Yeah, I figured as such." He said. "I'm sorry for that."

I shrugged. "It's not your fault."

"Well it was my dagger that partly got you into this trouble." Saxon said trying to sound cordial but I found a remnant of guilt hidden in his voice.

I thought about Saxon's reaction the first day here when I had brought up the knife. I guess the events with Severin explained why Saxon seemed a bit distant when I talked about the knife. He knew the part it had played in sealing my fate.

"Are you kidding me?" I said. "Your dagger got me out the trouble. With out that knife, I'd be dead now."

I had been picking up one of the broken stones as I said this and I had stopped with it still in my hand. I had never said that out loud.

_"I'd be dead."_ But it was true.

I glanced back over at Saxon to see if what I had said had changed his demeanor. I could tell what he was thinking.

_"Instead you're worried about dying _now_."_

_Maybe he was right _

He began to take a piece of obsidian that had the rough outline of a spear head without the tapered edges. He rocked his foot on the peddle bringing the wheel back in motion as he slowly edged the obsidian to the spinning. I expected a shower of sparks to erupt from the contact but when only a simmer of sparks came I reminded myself that obsidian did not conduct itself like steel.

After a moment he said "I remember those two. Keen and Valko. Met 'em when I sold Shifu his first weapon. The three of them seemed like such good friends. I couldn't imagine what they tried to do. It was hard enough to believe when Shifu told me about their conspiring to overtake Oogway."

"I didn't know either one of them for long." I said. "I barely knew Keen Lee before... he was gone. From what his students told me, he was very aggressive in his teachings. Valko wasn't much better. I don't see why this guy Severin or any one could be that devoted to them to want to avenge them."

"Well, Severin started at a very young age with Valko and Keen. Younger than you. Not much is known about his family life, he could have very well been adopted by either one of them. They were probably the closest thing t' family Severin had. On toppa that there shares a bond between master and student. Even if a master is harsh there's usually a sense of respect."

_Even if neither of them had it with Oogway._

But I got what he meant. I remembered on my journey to find the masters the strive I had to see Shifu again almost as much as Po, and the sudden burst of energy I regained when he was mentioned. Shifu and I had a better relationship than most students to master, but we were far from perfect.

I reflected over this for the next 30 minutes as I sorted through the differing shades and shapes of the glassy mineral while watching the groups of villagers pass by. When I was done Saxon saw the piles and said "I think that's all I have right now. In an hour or two I might have something else for you to do."

I started to say "Well if you need me-"

"You won't be very far." he cut me off smiling. I laughed only because I knew it was the truth.

I walked back into the house and up the stairs. As I cleared the final step into the hallway I saw my bedroom door open and Jada coming out of it.

"Hey, Jada." I said casually.

"Hi, Jo. Hows it going?" She said.

"Alright I said. A little bored I guess." _Understatement_ "I just decided to get out of my room for a bit. I've just been in there all day." _A bit redundant dontcha think_

Jada said "Yeah, I saw your poem."

_she what?_

"You what?" I asked shocked. _Had I been stupid enough to leave it out of it's folder? Isn't that how Po first found out? Well I guess that time it didn't end badly._

"I didn't mean to." Jada said trying to explain. "I saw it on your bed when I went to change the sheets. My dad told me to change the sheets on the beds in this room."

"Oh, I guess it's ok then" I said slowly. I hoped I hadn't looked mad when I said that.

"It was pretty good." she added.

"Thank you." I said feeling rather fuzzy inside. C_ould you at least try to sound thankful?_

After a pause that was just short enough to not be awkward Jada said "I'd like to read more."

_She wants to read more of MY poetry?_

It had taken me completely by surprise. I uneasily said "Well... it's just... I don't show my poetry to... well... people I don't know too well."

_AND... the winner for "worst thing to say to someone you might like" goes to... __THIS GUY!_

_I couldn't fathom that I just said that when she was clearly showing an interest in something I did _

_crap_

I was prepared for her to look slightly confused before giving a hurt understanding look as if to say "oh, ok, then I won't bring it up again. I didn't realize I was just a stranger to you."

But miraculously Jada smiled as if taking it as a playful joke. "Guess that means I'll just have to get to know you more, won't I?" She said before sauntering away.

For the second time, her exiting had left me standing staring blankly where she left with a feeling of numbness.

I had said possibly the worst thing I could think to have said and it somehow resulted into the best outcome.

_Maybe I'm better at this than I thought_

I turned around to face my room with a new sense of self-assurance when I realized that my bed didn't have sheets.

It had never had sheets.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading people!<em>

_There's a poll on my page I'd like some input on_

_But first, howz 'bout a review?_


	6. Ch 6 Daydreamer

_Meant to get this one out last week, but I got held up a bit. But I have it here now._

_R&R_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>Chapter 6  
>Daydreamer<strong>

"Who are you?" I whispered startled.

It was the middle of the night. I had been jarred awake by some dream that I now only remembered being terrifying. In the deep darkness of the room, my eyes began to slowly come into focus and the wolverine began to come into view. Of course I had seen his eyes in the darkness but now I saw his entire figure standing like a stagnant ocean at the foot of my bed. So close I could touch him if I wanted. Those eyes of his didn't stray from me for a second. Consequently, mine didn't stray from him.

_Master Shifu: Never turn your back on your opponent_

"Who are you?" I asked again. It was the first time I'd ever said anything to him. He didn't respond, which I should have guessed. His only reaction was pointing to the center of his upper chest. It was as if he was saying "Me."

_You? You what?  
><em>_What are you trying to say? You're you?_

He removed his hand again only to repeat the movement. I don't know why, probably out of tiredness, but I pointed to myself in the same place on my chest as he did. When I did this, he nodded, and backed away into the darkness shortly after.

I was still a little shook up, but I didn't know why. He had never struck fear in me before. Why now?

_He was here now. He had somehow followed me to Rem Hai._

As I fully sat up in my bed I saw that Po wasn't in his. _Where would he be in the middle of the night?_

Then it hit me. "Midnight snack."

I stuck my head into the hallway and didn't see him their either, but I saw the faintest of light from the top of the stairs emitting from something downstairs. Feeling my way down the stairs I followed the light into the kitchen.

Po was on the other side of the table with his back to me. The kitchen table had a candle sitting in the center of its large plateau giving off its steady light. The dinner plates and dishes from earlier that night had long since been cleared leaving the candle the only occupant. Every counter, cupboard and object in the kitchen had a facet of light bordered by creases of shadows that were out of the light's reach.

Po turned around holding a small kettle venting a soft steam. He didn't seem all that surprised at my sudden appearance in this dark kitchen. He must have heard me coming down.

As I drew closer I asked "What's the kettle for?"

"You." he said. "I saw you thrashing in your sleep a bit. I figured you'd wake up soon. I thought I should make some tea. Shifu drinks it all the time when he can't sleep."

"Thanks," I said quietly. I wished I had said it better though. I really was grateful for the gesture. Not many friends would jump out of bed to make tea in the middle of the night for a friend.

"Another dream?" Po asked as if out of habit. He sat down at the table and poured to small cups sliding one across the tabletop toward me. As I sat down and took the cup in my hand I nodded without looking at him directly.

"Tai Lung or the wolverine?" Po asked before taking a sip of his tea.

"The wolverine." I said. "His dreams are a fairy tale compared to Tai Lung's but I just wish I knew what he was trying to tell me. Or if he's trying to tell me something at all."

"Was he doing anything this time?" Po set down his cup.

I shrugged. "Just pointing to himself." It was so easy to picture him. I didn't even have to close my eyes.

_His thick brown fur  
><em>_His muscular form  
><em>_Those eyes_

It was beyond seeing him. He had somehow worked his way into my mind. "Do you think it's a ghost?" I asked slightly shaken by the idea.

Po gave a weird look. "A ghost that follows you from the valley clear to another village? I know ghost must have all the time in the world but you'd think they'd spend it better."

I sighed. "A few weeks ago I felt like this guy was somehow protecting me. Now I'm starting to wonder if he's protecting me or trying to keep me for himself for something to come."

"I'm sure it was your initial idea, Jo." Po said hearteningly although I could tell he wasn't even that sure. _How could he be?_

"Yeah, I could sure use the protection now." I said glumly. I took a sip of the tea. The taste was dull, but I found that soothing. It was uncomplicated, unlike SO much else in my life right now.

"You don't have to worry, Jo. We're doing everything we can."

"I know. Thank you for that. I still just wish I knew what he wants."

"I'm not really sure." Po said. "When Master Oogway came to me in my dream, he did speak vaguely to me but I still got a sense of what he was saying."

"Is it just dreams though?" I said wondering. "Why do I see him during the day while I'm awake."

"Maybe you're a daydreamer." Po chuckled.

"I've known that for a while." I said with a smile/laugh. "Maybe it's not dreams but more like-"

"Visions." Po finished for me.

I shook my head from side to side with a grin. "How do you do that, Po?"

"Do what?" Po asked.

I leaned back in my chair holding my cup beneath me. "Ever since I can remember, ever since the night you found me at the Peach Tree up to the first time I told you about the wolverine, you've always seemed to be able to read my mind."

Po smiled humbly as if it were an uncanny ability that he'd been lauded over for years. "It's not mind reading. It's more... heightened perception, I guess is what you'd call it. It kinda goes back to the whole inner peace thing Master Shifu talks about.

"When your mind is at peace, even among great distress, you notice the slightest detail, even if it seems unimportant. I guess you can say that you're 'reading' the person, but not necessarily their mind. Master Shifu was pretty good at doing it when I first started with him."

"Think I'll ever be good enough to do that?" I asked.

"No doubt you will." Po said.

"Maybe if I can, I can figure out what this wolverine stalker wants from me."

"Stalkers tend to come when you gain fame," Po said humorously. "It's one of the down sides."

I saw that Po meant to lighten the mood, I wanted to resist it but at the same time my body told me to give into the subject lightening. I was explaining something out of the ordinary to him. The only similar occurrence that he had to relate it to was his dream from Oogway, and this was greatly different. Oogway had visited Po because he came to the people that he shared knowledge with. But Oogway was dead now. What was this wolverine? Was he someone passed on as well? I had begun to think he was simply another piece of my mind, much like the way I was visited by that apparition of Po back on my journey.

'_My journey'? Is that what I've been calling it?_

And even that instance still baffled me any time I thought back about it. I remembered telling Po about the encounter and he didn't know what to make of it either. Much like the case now, but he offered suggestions and sound pieces of advice. He had already done a bit for me. Maybe it was best I didn't stay on a subject that. I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Did I have to go running to Po with every situation I had?

_Some elite kung fu warrior you are._

After a second I softly said "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Po asked. He was genuinely unsure.

"I'm sorry I always unload my problems on you." I said.

Po continued to smile not seeing my need to apologize. "You don't like unloading your problems on someone else?"

"Well, of course I feel better," I said. "But I hate that it's always you I unload it on. You help me with so much. I feel like I don't do anything for you."

Po cocked his head forward slightly. "You mean besides after being pushed off a cliff helping me defeat Tai Lung for the second time, after being kidnapped by Montenegro saving my life."

"Well, I meant recently." I said.

"My life is pretty recent." Po laughed a bit more and I joined in, quietly to not wake anyone. Po then asked me "Would it make you feel better if I told you something wrong in my life?"

"Sure, maybe." I said.

Po simply said "A crazy kung fu warrior wants to hurt my best friend."

* * *

><p>In the living room, the sunlight was slowly dying down through the window, though it was hard to tell with the blinds closed. Shifu said he didn't want to take any chance with me being seen by "the outside world," so now the blinds were always to be closed. The day was currently in transition from mid afternoon to late afternoon. Po and the rest had just left again leaving me here as usual.<p>

As I laid stretched out on the couch I wondered if this was what the Masters had felt like a few months back? It's ironic isn't it? Last time I was the one trying to find an evil martial artist and the Masters were being held prisoners. Now they're looking for Severin and I'm the one feeling imprisoned.

_Ok fine, their imprisonment was much worse than mine, but still._

I heard a faint rattling sound and looked up from my reclining position. Jada was walking through the living room. She had a new bracelet on today, one with tiny stones of alternating hues of azure and cerulean. The stones tapped together as she moved.

I said "Hey, Jada. I haven't seen you all morning."

"Hey Jo. I've been a little busy. I finished a bracelet today." she said holding up her arm sporting her newest creation.

I presumed that she was simply going to pass by to go into the kitchen but instead she stopped in the living room and leaned on the couch I was lying on. "Written any other poems lately?" she asked in a manner that told me she was attempting to be coy.

"Uh, not today. Maybe I will though." I shrugged.

"Is that the thing that takes up your time?" she asked.

"What?"

"Earlier this week I was talking about the thing that takes up the most of your time. I told you making jewelry was mine. Is writing poems yours?"

"I guess it is." I said daring to show a smile. "At least it is lately. Usually it's kung fu."

She nodded though I discerned that she was thinking of something else. A moment later she asked "Do you really feel like prisoner?"

It took me a second to realize she was referring to the poem I wrote; the one she had read. I chuckled a little embarrassed remembering what I had written and hadn't intended on anyone else reading. "To be honest, a little bit."

She smiled wider grabbing hold of my hand saying "Then come on."

"What?" Before I knew it, she had pulled me off of the couch.

"I'm taking you to a place outside the house." she said.

She began to pull me through the hallway to the back of the house. And I was too distracted by the fact that she was holding my hand to care where we were going.

* * *

><p><em>interesting fact: <em>_Daydreamer__ was the code title for Kung fu Panda while it was being made_

_Howabout we trade? Interesting fact for a review?_


	7. Ch 7 The Lake

_Hey my fellow fanfictioners!_

_Ok this chapter has Jo and Jada together so I hope you enjoy it!_

_R&R_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 7  
><strong>**The Lake**

"I'm not supposed to leave your house." I said though I wasn't really putting up any resistance.

"I just want to show you the lake." Jada said still pulling me along. "It's practically on our property. We'll just be gone a sec."

As we came out the back door from the kitchen she took me through a backyard overrun with weeds. An ancient sundial sat in one corner of the yard nearly lost in the tall grass surrounding it. On the other side of the garden was an arbor laced with climbing vines that had long since stopped climbing. More grass came up in between the rocks in the stone path we were walking on. Jada and I passed through the gate of a low wooden fence effectively meaning we were leaving the property.

It was then that I noticed the lake. It was still a distance away down a sloping terrain but it was enormous. I was just able to see the other side of it where more buildings sat on the other side.

With all of Rem Hai's updatedness it had kept the lake well hidden behind the wall of building facades that lined the street. As I looked behind me, I saw the backs of these buildings all lined up tightly against one another.

"Come on," she said apparently not intending on showing it to me from a distance. She and I continued down the slope.

As we came to flatter ground, she sat down where the grass from the slope became sand on the lakeshore. The sand lined a long stretch of the lake strand we were on.

As I sat down next to her I took off my sandals. Not passing up the opportunity, I stuck my feet into the sand letting it run in between my toes. The sand was warmed being in the sun all day despite the cool October air. As my feet dug deeper though, I found the colder untouched sand. Being autumn, the occasional fallen and discolored leaf glided across the water. The water of the lake lapped at the sand in its small tide like several rolling hushes. It's like the water was telling me secrets.

I wondered if Jada had known how perfect this was for me.

It reminded me of the creek back home. I scanned the area for rocks to skip, but didn't see any.

"I've always liked having this so close to the house. It's like a little escape from the city right here in the city. You know?

"Yeah, It's something else."  
><em>Why do I keep using that phrase around her?<em>

"So you like it?" she asked.

I nodded looking across the water. "Years ago I spent a lot of time indoors. But I've always loved nature. It's so... unpredictable. Does that make any sense?"

Jada said "Have you ever heard the theory that there are no straight lines in nature? Nothing is naturally straight. Everything that is is made by us."

I shook my head. "I haven't, but I like that."

The silence between us was finally a comfortable one. Words weren't needed. Nature was our words. When the silence was broken, Jada had turned to me saying "You never did tell me that 'long story'," she said. "The one about you being adopted."

_No I guess I haven't_

There came that same feeling that only came when I decided I would tell someone about my parents. That feeling that I could tell her anything.

It had taken me by surprise the first time I felt it with Musaki having only met him a few days earlier. With Po it just felt comfortable. The feeling I could tell him anything was something I had felt with him for a while by that point. Now, with Jada, it not only felt comfortable but as natural as the other two.

The outcome was the same with all three of them.

And so I told her. I explained my 3 years of living with my birth parents, my dad's violent temperament, their secret occupation that eventually lead to our welcomed separation, how foster care took me to the Valley of Peace where I was eventually adopted, and how I had never seen either of my parents since. When I had started she gave the usual shocked look I had gotten used to, but after that she only nodded while I was talking. When I finished she said simply "I'm sorry."

"I don't know that I've ever forgiven them. I know I should but..." the lack of ending seemed an ending in itself.

After another moment she said "How come you didn't want to tell me earlier?"

I shrugged. "It seemed a little weird to bring up in our first conversation. Not to mention I've only told 2 other people, Po and my friend Musaki from back home. My adopted parents don't even know. But I've accepted it. In the end it was for the best. I have a better life now than I would ever have if I had stayed with them." _Except __now __I__'__m __being __hunted __down __by __a __murderous __lynx._

She paused again before saying. "You wanna know a secret of mine then? I think you're the first badger I've ever met."

I smiled. "Not much of a secret. I've been a lot of people's first if not only badger. Heck, _**I**__**'**__**ve**_ never even met another badger besides my parents."

"Ok, then why don't I tell you one like you told me." she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

After a pause she said "My mom doesn't actually travel."

At first I was confused by what she meant. After thinking for a second I asked precariously "Did she  
><em>don<em>_'__t __say__ "__die__"  
><em>pass away"

"No," she said glumly in unpleasant recollection. "She left."

"What happened?" I asked.

"I wasn't sure for a long time. My dad didn't even really understand at the time. For a while all he knew was that she wanted to end their marriage. Then he found out that another man was involved. She'd apparently been seeing him for sometime when it happened. We never found out who, but I assume my mom is with him now.

Now she looked at me. I could tell by her blue eyes that, just like me talking about my parents, telling it was reliving it.

"I loved my mom, I can't tell you how... devastated I was. I had never been that sad since the day my grandma died when I was nine. You know how when you're little for a while you think that your parents are so powerful? As you get older you realize they're not perfect but you still think that there's nothing they can do that's truly horrible. When this happened, that whole illusion just shattered."

_Jo Dakota Crevan: She sounds like a free spirit._

_Jada Zadora: You have no idea._

_It made sense now_

"How old were you?" I asked.

"It was 4 months ago. I was 12. We haven't seen her since." she said. "She wasn't even there for my 13th birthday."

_The way I thought no one had been there for mine_

She went on "It wasn't as hard on my brothers or sister. I mean they couldn't believe it when it happened either and they were really upset, but like I said, they're all older. They were able to handle it better. They were all already living out of the house at the time. They didn't have to go through that phase where she just wasn't around anymore." She began to talk slower as if talking to fast would cause something to break. "Sometimes there were mornings where I wondered if I could get out of bed knowing she wasn't going to be there. I don't know if I've forgiven her either."

I felt her pain. But more importantly I felt a connection of pain.  
>And I think she does too.<p>

"I guess forgiveness is something we both have trouble with." As I said this I took hold of her hand. It wasn't a move I was trying. It was a genuine act of comfort. It honest to God felt natural.

What happened next seemed almost pure instinct. I saw her begin to lean forward, but I hadn't noticed until I found myself leaning forward too.

A second later our lips were touching.

I once heard someone say that in initiating a kiss, one person moves in most of the way and the other person closes the small distance left between them. But that didn't seem the case here. It was as though we moved together, each covering half the distance that separated us, neither knowing what was going to happen. And then it happened.

Her lips had a softness to their touch. I could tell they had never been kissed before. Then again, how would I know this? It's my first time kissing too. Were my lips as soft and divulging as hers?

We broke somehow only just acknowledging each other. Neither of us said anything. I wasn't sure what post-kiss actions were supposed to be. Was I supposed to say something first or should I let her. In stead we both went back to staring at the lake. It was almost as if it hadn't even happened. But I wanted to remember it as long as I could.

For that moment following, there seemed to be no one but me and Jada. The sun appeared to be perched on the crest of the buildings on the opposite side of the lake. The lake itself was calm. I didn't have a care in the world.

Once again, the silence was broken by her. "What get's you through?"

"What?" I asked surprised by the sudden question.

"What get's you through hard times?" after a second she added with a joking demeanor "Mr. Next Dragon Warrior."

I wondered why she felt the need to ask me this. Was it as though to her I had some divine intellect as a kung fu warrior? Then again I remembered when I had met Po and thought he had been so amazing, so full of knowledge, so awesome...

Not that he wasn't still all those things to me, if anything he was even more, but I guess I was used to it now.

But I knew it must have been because of our connection. Our shred experience, and the fact that she noticed that I was better adjusted to my situation than she was to hers.

"I guess that's one reason why I write. To just... get stuff out. Relieves alot of stress. I also have my faith. Some times I think my belief in God is the only thing that I always have."

"Do you ever get scared?" she intoned

_Why do people always ask that?_

"As long as I'm breathing, I get scared." I said chuckling.

"Are you scared now?"

"How much do you know?" figuring that at this point she couldn't be completely unknowledgeable of my life being in danger.

"As much as you know, I suppose. I heard what my dad told you all your first night here. I mean, I was just in the other room. I'm surprised he thought I couldn't hear him. I know about Severin. Dad also told me before about Master Shifu and the rest getting kidnapped and you having to save them."

My black ears turned puce.

"You seem to be brave." she went on. "I know I wouldn't be so calm if it were me."

I shrugged. "It's hard to be afraid of something you've never seen"

She said thoughtfully "I would think that would make it even more frightening."

"How do you mean?" I asked not understanding.

"Aren't we always afraid of the things we know little about?" she replied. "Things we can't see; a disease, deep waters, ghosts. Things where our imagination runs wild. We don't really know what their capable of."

Like a tocsin going off in my head, her new point of view gave me a new perspective that somehow hadn't been realized.

_Crap just got real._

I suddenly felt very vulnerable outside in the open. Even though I had just told her that I still get scared, things seemed different than they had been a few seconds ago.

_Worlds different_

"Maybe we should get back." I said.

"Probably so," she said. We both stood up. I shook the sand off my feet and put my sandals back on and we began to walk up the slope again to the house.

Just as we were reaching the gate to the backyard, Jada stopped. "I just remembered. My dad is probably done working in his shop for the day. He'll be right in the kitchen working on dinner. He'd see us come in."

"What should we do?" I asked beginning to think what would happen if Master Shifu found out that I disobeyed orders.

Thinking it over she said "I'll go in. He won't think anything of me coming in. I go see the lake all the time by myself. You go out into the street and come in through the front door. I'll be there waiting for you to make sure he doesn't see."

_The streets? Out in the open?_

"There's a gap in between two of the buildings about half-way down the block." she said.

"Ok" I said. "I'll see you in a second."

From there we split up. It was hard to judge a block only seeing the backs of the houses. Finally about 11 buildings down I found the gap she was talking about. It was more of an alleyway where several trash cans and unused crates were stacked. Passing through I emerged into the streets, still busy for dusk but considerably less than the afternoon traffic. Keeping close to the buildings I made my way down the street back toward the house praying no one noticed the random badger. But attention was something I didn't need to worry about. A second later all the attention was turned up the street in the opposite direction of the Saxon's shop. Frantic screams and hollers erupted from a rufous 3 story building down the street.

**"IT"S HIM!"**

Soon after the door flew open and out came who I assumed was 'him.' I knew instantly that the lynx I was seeing was Severin.

If I wasn't panicking already, I definitely was when I saw, summoned by the shouting, Master Shifu, the Five, and Po running down the street toward the uproar.

With out a second thought I ducked into the nearest doorway. It was without a door, only long beaded tassels hanging from the top frame. I quickly brushed them out of the way and stood just out of sight letting them fall back into place jingling against each other.

I doubted any of them had seen me. Severin and the Masters had been pretty far away, plus they were probably too distracted to notice me.

"And to what, do I owe this visit?" came a voice from behind.

In the heat of the moment I hadn't even thought that I was actually entering a persons house. I had just hoped it was only one of the many public shops in the village. As I turned around, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Several standing shelves holding ornate bottles and candles in every size, color, and shape thinkable. I imagined it was built a similar way to my parents shop back in the Valley, that is, the shop in the front with living quarters in the back and upstairs.

I found this distracting to the point that it took me several seconds to take notice of the speaker. An adult female snow leopard.

I started "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Madam Weibao at your service." she said. Her voice was deep and insipid but I got the strong feeling that it wasn't her actual voice. Her introduction and hand motions were wide and without planning. As for her outfit, her dress was an assortment of dark paisleys with a bright red scarf worn on her head and large hoop earrings. Over her arms she wore a shawl that looked like it ought to be draped over a fireplace mantelpiece.

There was a circular table covered in a delicate shiny fabric with a whicker chair on either side and a silvery crystal ball in the center. My stomach lurched at how horribly cliche` it looked.

_A fortune teller_

"No, I mean I didn't mean to walk in here." I said trying to clear it up. "I was confused."

She held up a finger "Twas Fate brought you here, my dear."

Caught a little off guard by her statement I said "Actually a coach brought me here." I was getting annoyed already by her persistence of this

"And that coach was named 'Fate'." she said plainly.

_Seriously?_

I was waiting for her to tell me that she "knows all" or "sees **things**." I was still unsure if this was a clairvoyant who was trying to scam me, or one that actually believed the stuff they said.

"Come, sit, young brock. Let us look into your soon-to-be present."

_At least she's not being too cliche by calling it 'future'_

I wasn't too keen on staying there, but I needed some time to pass before I went outside again. So I followed and sat down in one of the wicker chairs. She sat down in the one across from me.

"Let me see your paw." she said.

I held it out as she had told me and she seized it hungrily as if she hadn't read a palm in months. She traced her fingers over my paw pads tenderly all the while muttering to herself.

After a full minute, looking at my paw as though my future were printed in words on it, she said "You have traveled in your life. You have allies; those that will help you, **but...** also you have enemies; those that will **harm** you." She let go of my hand with a look of relief and satisfaction as if expecting me to marvel at her prodigious powers.

I rolled my eyes. "Think you can tell me something that doesn't apply to everyone?"

"Ah, I see." she said gracefully pointing a long-nailed finger at me. "Still not convinced Did I mention that you are unsafe, in your current surroundings?"

_I could have told you that._

"Then I guess I should leave" I said matter-of-factly getting up from the table not fully caring if it had been long enough. I'd find a way to sneak around the masters. I stood up and turned for the beaded doorway.

"Wait!" she said giving away her true voice which had a nasal quality to it. "I also sense that you have a guardian."

I froze mid-step and turned around. "A what?"

"One that watches over you." she went on. "One that wants to protect you."

"You mean... like my parents?" I said.

"Something else." she said softly. "Something different. The wolverine that walks with you."

"What?" I asked not sure I had heard her right.

"Are you aware that a wolverine is seeking a connection with you?" she asked.

"Yes, I mean no, I mean... I've seen him but I just thought that... I don't know, I imagined it or it was some dream." I was suddenly so sucked in by her words I hadn't realized how adrenalized I had suddenly become. "You mean this wolverine I've been seeing... is real?"

She smiled thinly. "The wolverine is, without question, real."

As I left her building I stared up and down the street without reason. Without it even registering how calm the street was now.

"The wolverine's real?" I said aloud.

Suddenly, it wasn't a question anymore, but a fact.

With a grin growing across my face I stated "The wolverine is real."

* * *

><p><em>The wolverine is real. But Jo is still unsure who this wolverine is and why he even wants to protect Jo. As for Jada...<em>

_Well you'll have to wait till next time_

_Until then, maybe review_


	8. Ch 8 Badger to Bearcat

_Hey, readers, sorry to keep yall waiting. I was kept at bay by some unpleasantries in the form of studying, finals, and other last minute projects. But I'm happy to say I did great on most of them and now I have another chapter up just before the holidays._

_R&R_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 8  
><strong>**Badger to Bearcat**

"What could you have possibly been thinking!" Shifu bellowed.

Some point in Jada's plan to sneak me back into the house had gone wrong. Returning from the fortune teller's shop I had gone right up to the front door to enter the house assuming the Masters were still involved with the Severin dilemma. But who else should be inside Saxons house just a few feet from the door as I entered? Unfortunately it wasn't Jada, who I'd later find out was lured away by a request from her father to help with dinner. It had disastrously been Shifu.

"I don't know-" I began.

"You **weren****'****t** thinking! That was the problem!"

At least he had saved me the humiliation of yelling at me in front of the Five and Po who were all upstairs now but no less aware of what was going down. But I couldn't help but be embarrassed wondering what they were thinking of me right this minute. Or Saxon in the kitchen for that matter. I was sure that he must know what had happened too. I was almost as embarrassed by what Saxon thought than what Shifu thought.

"Not only were your outside of the house, a precaution I installed for your own protection mind you, but you were out at a time when Severin very nearly could have spotted you! What were you even doing outside?"

"I just wanted to get out of the house, and I know it was stupid thing to do, I get that." I said defeatedly. I didn't deny it. If I fought, I'd be fighting a losing argument. Shifu returned to his equanimity. I think my admittance had stolen his thunder. But I hadn't expected what happened next.

"I understand that this is an uncomfortable situation for you. I don't ignore taking your age into count. Most children your age are used to roaming around freely." I lifted my head from its melancholy downward stare. I wasn't sure I had heard right. The last thing I had expected Shifu to do was agree with me. "While out today, it had crossed my mind. Po can tell you more about it but we may have found a way to make it so that you can accompany us on our outings."

"Really?" My ears perked up. At seeing this, Master Shifu felt the need to reel me back.

"But, I warn you, Jo. Heed my warnings next time."

"Yes, Master." The harsh reminder was more than welcome compared to the drubbing that I knew I easily could have gotten.

"You may go now." he said with a wave of his hand. "Supper should be ready soon."

I placed my fist in my palm and bowed. "Thank you, Master."

As I left the living room and headed upstairs before dinner I couldn't believe I was walking out of there alive. Here, I had disobeyed orders, in the heat of the moment that easily could have been a life-or-death situation, and after some admonishing, it was over. No strict punishment, no being whacked on the head with his cane or being told I was a disgrace to kung fu.

Then again, we were out of the environment that held the usual punishments. Punishments issued by Master Shifu often involved cleaning the training hall after use, polishing the artifacts in the hall of warriors. Maybe it was easier for Master Shifu to just let it go.

I looked up and saw at the foot of the stairs Jada standing with her arms folded looking at me. She almost looked mad. "You should have told him I talked you into it." she said.

I shrugged trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. "He'd be mad at me either way. No sense in having him mad at you too."

"Still." she said.

I said "Thanks for going out with me- going outside with me I mean-" I added quickly feeling rather stupid. "Thanks for taking me to see the lake. It was just what I needed."

She began to ease back into her relaxed self. "Anytime." she said. "Well not **any** time. Wouldn't want to run the chance of getting caught a second time."

I walked up the stairs past the other rooms that the rest of the Five were split up among till I got to my room. Po was lying down on his bed. As I came in he sat up.

"How did it go?" seeing I had survived what we had both expected to be a scathing tear down from Master Shifu.

"He wasn't as mad as I thought." I said thankfully.

"That's good... I guess." Po said rather blandly. "So why were you outside?"

"Nothing important." I said not wanting to talk about me and Jada's excursion just yet. I knew I'd tell him soon, but for some reason I felt the desire to keep it secret just a bit longer. I was still trying to replay our moment in front of the lake.

Po replied. "Important enough to go outside apparently."

It suddenly hit me like missing a step while walking down stairs.

Po was upset with me.

And I didn't like it.

It was an unfamiliar feeling to me, mainly because I had often worked so feverishly for it to never happen to avoid this very feeling.

I remembered last night in the kitchen (_after __he __had __graciously __made __me __tea __and __lent __an __ear __to __my __dilemma. __Darn __you, __self_) what he'd said.

_Po: Would it make you feel better if I told you something wrong in my life?_

_Jo: Sure, maybe._

_Po: A crazy kung fu warrior wants to hurt my best friend._

_Jo: How can I help with that?_

_Po: Just stay safe, buddy._

Not 24 hours had passed since then and already I had screwed that up. Even if I was distracted by Jada, I couldn't believe that I had forgotten that quickly.

For the second time in the last 10 minutes I stood defeatedly before someone I had nothing but respect for. I conceded "Po I'm sorry. You're right. I should have listened to you... and Shifu."

"I'm just worried about you Jo."

"I get it was a stupid thing to do. I didn't need Master Shifu to tell me that."

"I know." Po said beginning to brighten. "You've always been a smart guy." I smiled though the comment, despite said with some humor, just made me feel worse. He was paying me a compliment after I had clearly disappointed him.

"Something good did come out of my outing though." I said remebering what I had wanted to tell him.

"What's that?" Po asked.

I went into detail over my encounter with the clairvoyant. Her initial pathetic attempts at foretelling the future and her uncanny knowledge of the wolverine.

"She said the wolverine is real?" Po said astounded now sitting on his bed while I sat on mine just across from his.

"Yes." I said getting re-energized just talking about it.

"But Jo," Po said skeptically, "a fortune teller?"

"I know." I said sharing his same view. "Normally I would't believe one predicting the weather, but what other explanation could there be? You're the only other person who I've told about the wolverine. How could she possibly know?"

"I guess there is no other way." Po said admittedly.

"At least I know now."

"Know what now?" Po asked confused.

"She said that he 'seeks a connection with me' that he actually is watching over me. Maybe he really is trying to tell me something important."

He's been persistent. Being this assiduous, it must be something he desperately wants. _But __why __help __me?_

_Why is it every time I get one question answered there's always something else after it?_

"Oh and Master Shifu, said I should ask you about some way yall found so that I can go outside."

"I'll show you after dinner." Po said with some mischief in his eyes that I wasn't entirely comfortable with.

* * *

><p>Po ate faster than usual at dinner and excused himself from the table. Not long afterward he reappeared in the dining room jokingly saying "Master Jo, your bath is drawn sir."<p>

"Oh Goody" I said sarcastically. I hadn't been told much about this process, but if it allowed me outside the house, I was willing to try anything.

Po lead the way to a large bathroom. The floor was covered with dark green tiles yet the walls were surprisingly white giving that typical "clean bathroom" feel. A large wooden tub in the center of the room held my current attention. The water was an unwelcoming brown. "At least it doesn't smell too bad." I said giving the brew an intake of breath. It smelled rather herbal.

Po said "Master Shifu said to just soak in it for about 15 minutes and it should work."

Staring at the brackish water not particularly looking forward to this I placed my hands on my belt beginning to loosen it before looking at Po who was still standing there.

"Do ya mind?" I asked.

Having roomed with one another, Po and I had seen each other scantily dressed before, but neither one of us had seen the other completely in the raw. (Unless you count that time I walked in on Po while he was changing)

Po said nervously "Master Shifu said I should assist in... working it in."

I sighed, not entirely sure what he meant. "Fine, just... look the other way for a second will ya." I said slightly uncomfortable.

Po complied and politely turned and faced the corner of the room. I shed my clothes and stepped into the water. The water was still fairly hot which, like the smell, helped distract from the visual image. I sat down till the water reached my shoulders. The water was just dark enough that I wasn't worried about Po being able to see through it. With just my head above the surface I leaned back deciding to get comfortable and make the best of the this strange bath.

_**splash**_

Po had unexpectedly dumped a small bucket of the brown water over my head. "What the heck?" I said my entire head now drenched in the liquid.

"Master Shifu said you needed to be completely covered." Po said amusingly. "Unless you can some how stay under the water for the entire 15 minutes this is the way we gotta do it."

"Got a snorkel on you by any chance?" I asked.

" 'Fraid not," Po said smiling before dumping another bucket.

_The stuff you have to go through to be seen in public these days._

This continued for the full 15 minutes with Po dumping the water, dipping the bucket into the tub, and repeating the process. I was happy when the time was up. Once again Po looked the other way as I got out. I stood dripping wet onto a small braided mat drying myself off with a towel. Once I wrapped the towel around my waist Po turned around and stared at me. He smiled and said "Take a look at your new persona."

I edged closer to the mirror on the wall and nearly lost my breath at the being I saw. My fur was know dyed a chestnut brown except for my stomach and muzzle, white to begin with, were now light tan. The only thing that remained the same were my black ears. The black streaks over my eyes were just barely visible as a slightly darker brown, but you wouldn't notice them unless you were looking for them.

"Brown looks good on you," Po said admiringly leaning against the wall. "You pull it off well."

"And what exactly am I supposed to be?" I asked.

"A bear cat."

I turned around a few times admiring my latest veneer. "If Cash could see me now."

Once I had slipped my clothes back on Po and I walked back out into the kitchen where the Masters and Saxon were still sitting at the table.

Mantis was the first to take notice. "Jo? I hardly recognize you." he said astonished.

With that, everyone else at the table started making similar comments. "You sure look different." Tigress remarked.

"Severin won't be on the lookout for a bear cat." Shifu said rather pleased with the results. "But we'll still have to give you an alias so it doesn't seem suspicious."

"Does this mean I'm going back to being known as 'Xanidor' in public?" I asked

"Unfortunately, no." Master Shifu said. "Valko discovered who you were just before we all escaped, remember? Quiang would have been able to tell Severin. It's possible he knows both of your names."

"Just call me Castello then." I said thinking of the first name to come to mind.

"That'll have to do." Shifu said. "If any one tomorrow ask, you are a new student in training at the Jade Palace."

"Tomorrow?" I asked.

Crane said "Tomorrow we're planning on paying a visit to the boarding house he robbed today."

_'We're'_

_Finally, I'm having the chance to help out on this mission as planned._

_And this time leaving the house, I'd only have to be half as secretive._

* * *

><p><em>You know what I'd love to get for Christmas? A review!<em>

_Happy Holidays!_


	9. Ch 9 Remembrance ReLived

_Salutations! Glad to see you came back. I hope that means I'm doing something right with this story. Thank you to all the reviewers and readers out there._

_I Meant to get this out last week, sorry. Hope you all had a good Christmas Holiday. _

_Well, Jo finally gets to go with the Masters to help resolve the Severin problem. _

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 9  
><strong>**Remembrance Re-Lived**

Not having the edge of the tortoise bowl I picked a crack in the floor boards in my room as my marker and stood on it. Lifting the other leg I quickly jumped thrusting my foot out hitting my imaginary target and landed. The second I landed I looked back down at where my foot was in relation to the crack. Skewed off a little bit. An inch, maybe two. But I'd still be on the edge.

_Good_

Earlier I had practiced the jumping snap kick, outside as I needed a running start. I had gotten better with it and was delivering a powerful snap, but it was still not where I wanted it.

"Adjusting to your fur dye job?" said Jada appearing at the doorway.

"Yeah, I've stopped being surprised when I pass by a mirror." I said.

"Well, brown suits you well. I think you look rather dashing" she said.

"So I've been told." I said with joke pride.

She added "I still think your gray fur looks better though."

"So what you're saying is I look better than 'dashing' when I'm my regular self."

"Basically." she said smiling.

Not knowing how to follow up this little back-and-forth we had going here, I asked "So, what are you doing today?"

She sighed "Probably helping dad in the shop. Kinda an uneventful day."

Before I cold make a reply Po showed up in the doorway "Hey, Castello." he said jokingly, "We're heading out to the boarding house Severin robbed."

"Sweet." I said excited. Po headed back out into the corridor. As I went to follow him I turned to Jada one last time. "By the way, your gray fur looks nice too."

She smiled in return.

Out in the hallway Po smirked at me. I had told him later last night about my venture with Jada to the lake.

"Going for a second kiss there, J.C.?"

"No," I said drawing up.

"Why not?" Po asked slyly. "I would if I were you."

I rolled my eyes.

Leaving the plodding life of the house, Master Shifu lead all of us to the our destination down the street.

"What all happened yesterday?" I asked Po and Mantis, who was sitting on Po's shoulder. "Did I miss a spectacular fight between yall and Severin?"

Mantis jumped off Po's shoulder and hopped along the ground next to me. "He was gone before we got very close to the house. I don't think he saw us. Which is good. As long he doesn't know Shifu and all of his students are in Rem Hai too, he might not catch on that we're on to him."

"The city's authorities came here last night, a group of rhinos. I hate to say it, but Saxons right; They haven't helped a whole lot with the Severin case. Unless they corner him or find him they won't be able to do much."

"Of course we're not really doing any better." Mantis said rather trounced. Po didn't disagree.

"Hey, we're still at it. We've solved worse crimes before." I said encouragingly.

"We have?" Po asked confused.

"Well I assumed." I said. Po and Mantis gave me a weird look. "I don't know but it seemed like the right thing to say."

Po, Mantis and I laughed and truly it was what we three needed.

We approached the front door of the rufuous colored building. Master Shifu knocked on the which was opened by a middle age female goose.

"Miss Shea?" Master Shifu asked.

"Yes." She said smiling. "And you're Master Shifu. Come inside."

As we all filed into the small entrance hallway the goose said "I was told you were coming to ask some questions about yesterdays break in. Please, is this felon going to be stopped?" her last few words said with growing desperation.

Master Shifu replied "Me and my students will do the best we can to bring this criminal to justice. May we speak to the proprietor?"

"I'm afraid Mr. Alverez is out, the owner of the boarding house. Won't you wait in the drawing room while I fetch my husband upstairs. He's the person you'll want to talk to."

Shifu complied and the rest of us followed him and the woman to the drawing room, although when we got there I thought "parlor" might have been a better word. The room was clearly lived in, by several people at that. No piece of furniture matched another. Paint on the walls was pealing and cracking in some places but there were several bright paintings of floral arrangements I supposed meant to offset the matte color. Several cups varying from full to empty contents sat on the coffee table.

We all took seats on the mismatched furniture. She dashed from the room and a moment later she reappeared with someone else in tow. A male warthog (which honestly I hadn't been expecting). His right arm hung limply in a sling looped around his neck. If the sling hadn't been there I was sure his arm would be hanging at his side seemingly lifeless.

Miss Shea said "My husband, Zou."

Master Shifu stood up and shook his hand, making sure to use his left hand in doing so. "Pleased to meet you, Zou. I am Master Shifu. These are my students, The Furious Five, the Dragon Warrior, and my student in training."

"Oh I know who you are." the warthog said with admiration. "I know about each of your students. I think it's great what yall are doing."

We all couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation then by his comment. But Po gave me a sideways glance smile thinking the same I was. The warthog was claiming he knew about all of us when my persona was made up and didn't even exist until last night. He clearly was only saying so to be nice, so we decided not to bring it up.

"Tell us exactly what happened the other day." Master Shifu said sitting down once more.

Zou began his account. "I had just come back from work. My wife was in the kitchen. All the residents were in their rooms at the time. I was coming in the front door when I found the front door opened. I had gone no more than a few more steps into the hallway when he came out of one of the rooms. I had heard of the few robberies and knew this must be the vandal mentioned. At that point Shea came out of the kitchen and screamed at the sight of him. He broke for the door and I went to block his path. He knocked into me. I struggled with him for a bit before he threw me to the ground. My arm broke the fall. He ran for the front door and that was the last I saw of him."

"Did he get away with anything?" asked Tigress.

"I don't think so." Zou said. "No one in the house reports missing anything. He must have only just entered the house when I saw him." His hand plunged into his pocket as he spoke and he produced a circular piece of gold metal. "During the struggle I was able to get this off of him."

Shifu took it in his hand turning it over a few times, the shiny surface catching the light each time.

"Does it mean anything to you?" Zou asked.

"I believe so." Shifu said. After asking a few more questions Master Shifu thanked both of them with promises of thwarting their attacker before we all left.

Outside in the streets, as we were heading back for Saxon's house again Shifu was still examining the shiny disk. "It's a medal alright. I can see where the cord passes through for it to be worn about the neck."

"Didn't think they gave out medals, at least not for street fighting." Crane said dryly.

"I can't understand why they would." Viper remarked.

Master Shifu said to Viper "As the mediators I don't think we are supposed to understand this back-alley world."

"Think that medals worth anything?" asked Monkey hopefully.

"Monkey! It's evidence." said Viper.

"Just a thought." Monkey said.

"Hardly," Master Shifu said disappointing Monkey. "It's probably just painted metal."

"I doubt he'd lose it so easily or take it to a robbery if it were so valuable." Tigress said.

I added "And if it were valuable, why even rob houses when he could just pawn it?"

"Both good observations." Shifu said in agreement. I smiled hoping I was making Shifu more confident in his decision of having me along.

* * *

><p>"You seek a connection with me?"<p>

Arms folded in gravitas as always the wolverine nodded. We weren't in the bedroom Po and I shared anymore, but in an atmosphere of black nothingness.

"What do you want to tell me?" I asked pleased with getting a nod and now hoping for him to form actual words.

One arm unlaced from the other and their folded position. Rather than pointing to himself like last time he traced a small circle on his stomach just below his naval. As though drawn there by his finger, a glowing ring appeared on his stomach. The ring faded away and he repeated the process, this time higher and on his left side above his naval which like the first one faded after a few seconds. A third time he traced his finger on his stomach, as I should have guessed, on the right side this time.

Trace. Glow. Fade.

Then the glowing rings all appeared again in the order they were made.

Bottom, left, right,

Now together they created a group of interlinked rings in a triangular shape each circle slightly overlapping the other.

_Where have I seen that before?_

"What are you trying to show me?" I asked. He made his usual motionless retreat into the darkness of my mind as the blackness itself formed a different setting.

Before I saw anything the smell gave it away. Like all reminiscent smells it painted a picture.

_Spice and steam- The Noodle Shop_

_Wood and sweat-The Training Hall_

_Iron and rock- Saxon's Shop_

But this was an ugly picture painted.

The stomach-churning smells of alcohol and that repugnant God-forsaken drug.

I felt as though I had shrunk as I saw a door in front of me with its doorknob above my height. Behind me a desolate dreary room seemed to have formed. The door was open a crack-

_Jo Crevan- My whole life, or what little I could remember about these few years, seemed to endlessly be viewed through a crack in the door._

It was ten years ago. I was three. This was my room and my parents were arguing right on the other side of the door. It was the same dream I had had a little more than a year ago when I first started staying at the Jade Palace.

I lifted my hand to my face and felt the slowly growing bruise where my father had struck me what would have been a few moments ago. My face still hurt to touch.

_Oh please God it was bad enough that I had to live through it, forget about it and then relive it, but do I have to see it again? What am I supposed to learn from this?_

_If this is some way to get me to forgive them it's not really working._

Just like before I heard the door knocked down and the rhinos charge in taking my parents into custody, my parents struggling the whole way. Knowing it was coming, I stood back as the door to my room swung open and the Rhinos discovered me there.

Loud and clamorous.

If this was just another dream, why is it so vivid?

_Because it's not just another dream. It's the dream of your parents. It was vivid the first time and it's just as vivid the second time._

Pain, smell, touch, Senses didn't seem to care that this was a dream. They felt the same as real life. I new I was dreaming at this point and yet I couldn't break free of it. _Why can't I just wake up? _

_The wolverine. _

Was he somehow in control of this? Did he want me to see this again? Why? _What do you want to show me that you're for some reason incapable of just telling me?_

The rhinos were now leading me out of the house. My parents were being dragged into the barred cart. Neighbors and other people from surrounding houses were all gathering outside forming a small crowd. As a 3 year-old, I hadn't thought much of this at the time. They were just people to me, unknown people. Now I was old enough to be embarrassed. Here was an entire group of people watching my parents be arrested. As I looked at the crowd about to turn my attention back to my restrained parents and resume the dream my thoughts came to a screeching halt at what I saw.

The wolverine was in the crowd this time.

_No, Not just this time._

He'd been there the first time too, and I'd never noticed him before.

Why should I? He wasn't anyone to me then.

Now he was so much more.

The three interlinked circle were still glowing on his chest.

"You!" I shouted out though my voice didn't seem to work properly.

Before he could tell me anything everything grew dark again. I was shaking uncontrollably and I wasn't sure why. I felt myself being constricted. In a claustrophobic fit I struggled against these constraints. As I wore myself out fighting it I soon realized that I was being held close by firm strong arms.

Then came Po's voice that had some how been drowned out by my own mind until now. "Jo, Jo! calm down it's me. Po."

I was back in my bed and Po was kneeling beside it gripping me with tight security. My eyes appeared to be dry-heaving in a sense; crying without tears. "He was there." I rasped to Po. "He was there the night my parents were taken away."

Po, knowing instantly who I meant asked "What does that mean?"

"I don't know." I said breathing deeply. "But I know it's important."

* * *

><p><em>Yep, the wolverine was there that fateful night. His involvement goes even deeper than that.<em>

_The the title of the chapter and the dream that Jo has is referring to his dream in my short story "Jo's Remembrance."_

__I encourage you all to check out Saharay1's story "Flames of a Dragon." She's given me some advertisement on my stories without me even asking so I only think it's fair that I point people in her direction too. It's a brilliant story, and they have, with my permission, included Jo in the story.__

_T__hank you again for reading._

_Let me know what your opinion is of this chapter._


	10. Ch 10 Cut Out for This?

_I'm so sorry for making yall wait so long. I recently added another class to my semester. A class from 3:30 to 6:30 every weekday (and 1-4 on Saturdays and Sundays). Needless to say, I've lost a lot of free time. The Good news is, the class is only for 3 weeks and is about to end._

_More good news, I have the new chapter._

_According to the red squiggly lines on my computer, "undefeatable" is also not a real word._

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 10  
>Cut Out for This?<strong>

"What do you think Saxon will say if he finds out about you and Jada?" Po asked.

"I've been trying not to think about that. Besides it's not like theres anything official between us." I said.

Saxon had finally taken Po up on the offer of making dinner one night. The kitchen teamed with the smell of a culinary masterpiece.

Po was manning the pot and, on the face of it, was throwing in spices and other ingredients at random. I knew better than that though. There was always a method to Po's madness when it came to cooking, or food in general for that matter. A madness that I would probably never understand. He had given me the duty of chopping the vegetables on the cutting board for the soup. I wasn't able to do it with the rapidness that Po was able to where it practically became a trill of dices but I was hoping they would taste just the same.

"Upsetting a weapon's crafter by dating his daughter may not be smart move." Po said. He said it as a joke though we both knew there was a nugget of truth to it.

"We're not even really dating." I said. "Me and Jada will tell him eventually, just... not any time soon."

I looked over at Po who's attention was back on the pot he was stirring. With his spoon, he took a taste test from the broth. He didn't seem to have anything else on his mind but the soup. If he was thinking of something else, he sure wasn't showing it. I wondered how much he remembered about last night. Pictures of last night flashed in my mind and I couldn't help but think of what he saw.

_He saw me. _

_He saw me whimpering in my bed as he held me like a child during a thunderstorm. _

_Think he had someone hold him when he remembered his parents being killed by Lord Shen? No, Po was stronger than that. _

_Stronger than me._

Maybe I could pull that stuff back when I first met him. When I was 11. I'm 13 now. Things are different.

_It's no worse than him seeing me half naked in tub of brown water, I guess._

Po looked away from the pot for a second and gave me a glance. "So he was there the night your parents were arrested, huh?" I looked at him strangely before Po replied. "I know that's what you're thinking about."

"How-" I began before Po's wilily smile reminded me how easily he read me, another thing about him that I was sure I'd never fully understand. "It felt so important at the time. I can't explain it."

"I'd consider it amazing if you could explain a dream." He was taking the occasional taste test that were becoming so frequent that I was surprised he hadn't consumed the entire pot.

"I know I've seen that symbol some where." I said straining my brain. Once I was calm enough to tell Po about the wolverine I explained the three interlinked rings he had drawn on himself. There was a familiarity to it that I couldn't put my finger on.

"I'm sure you have," Po said. "It's a common symbol. You probably saw it in one of the Sacred Scrolls.

"That is where I saw it!" I said half astounded beginning to remember. "The symbol had been made in the top corner of a few of the scrolls I'd read. I don't remember what those specific scrolls were talking about though."

Po said. "The symbol is used all through out kung fu and a lot of other things."

"Why is it used in kung fu though?" I asked.

"It's often used as a sign of unity or strength due to solidity of the structure." Po took another slurp of from his spoon.

"What's so strong about three rings?" I asked picturing the rings in my head.

After swallowing, Po replied "They're not lying when they say 3 is a magic number. 3 is often found to have a lot of reliable strength to it. A table with 4 legs may seem stronger but it is impossible for a table with 3 legs to wobble."

"Or like when they say 'a strand of 3 cords isn't easy to break'?" I said starting to get it.

"Exactly." Po said.

"So the only question is what do these rings have to deal with what he wants to tell me?"

"That's the only question?" Po asked smiling.

I sighed. "No, theres also:" _*inhale*  
><em>"Who is he?  
>Why is he showing up?<br>How are these three glowing rings supposed to help me?  
>What do my parents have to do with all this?<br>And where in the world is Severin Cai?"

Po couldn't help but chuckle at my rambling. "Well, in response to your last question, Master Shifu is still trying to find a way to flush him out into the public."

"Is that even possible?" I asked. "The guys wanted. And from the way Saxon describes him he doesn't seem to fit the typical 'stupid criminal' mold."

"I'm not really sure, buddy." Po looked at the vegetables I'd chopped on the cutting board.

"Your familiarity with knives has made you a fair dicer, Master Xanidor." Po said taking the cutting board and dumping my handiwork into the boiling pot. After doing so, he turned to me again. "Jo, you think this wolverine wants to protect you?"

"Well... Yeah."

He smiled. "I'd say continue to let him convey to you what he wants. Even if it's unpleasant."

Somehow that wasn't the advice I wanted him to tell me. "But, Po-"

"Jo, I remember the night when you first told me of him he didn't worry you, confused you sure, but not worried. The way you talked, you almost made it sound like he was a reassurance. Try to get back that same feeling."

It was still different than what I wanted but my guess was that this was a moment where his advice wasn't supposed to be what I wanted.

Po took out a leek, placed it on the cutting board and began chopping it with the knife I was just using.

"I thought I got all the vegetables." I said.

As he continued chopping he looked away from his hand motions and toward me saying "I may need to add a few more diced leeks into the- AGH!"

Dropping the knife onto the counter he quickly clasped his other hand to his chest and I was nearly blinded as I saw his hand practically covered in thick red blood staining the white fur on his stomach and chest.

"My finger!" Po bellowed in pain.

"My God, Po!" I threw him a hand towel from the counter. "Try to stop the bleeding! I'll go get Master Shifu and Saxon!"

As I sprinted for the door I was stopped by Po's cries of anguish that had suddenly turned into burst of laughter.

I turned back around to see him doubling over in a series of guffaws. "Po?" I asked confused. _Is he hysterical?_ Po lifted up his hand revealing all his fingers completely intact.

"Tomato paste." Po said laughing as he started licking the red substance on his hand that I had believed was blood just as he had wanted.

I sighed glowering at Po, or trying to at least, for having scared me out of my skin that my best friend was in danger. I wanted to be angry but found myself too amused. Finally the smile quickly fought itself onto my face and a second later I was laughing too.

"If you do that again," I warned, grinning, "I'm not getting help, Even if it is real."

Po eased down with the laughter even though I knew it wasn't true. I'd still get help.

I knew I always would.

* * *

><p>In Saxon's living room Tigress, Crane, and Monkey were all crammed onto the sofa with viper wresting on one of the sofa's arms. Po sat in an easy chair while I sat on the foot rest in front of him. Mantis sat on my shoulder. We all sat digesting Po's meal. Saxon, happy to have let Po take over as cook for one night, was sitting in a separate chair as was Shifu. "I've seen this before." Saxon turned the medal over in his hands a few times. "It's definitely the medal for a street fighter all right."<p>

"Someone actually cares enough to give medals at street fights?" asked Tigress finding it rather peculiar.

Saxon began "As I've said, most street fights are seclusive underground brawls with a small crowd in attendance placing bets. They don't give out medals at street fights, but at street fight tournaments. They aren't very common. Medals being given at them are even more uncommon. They are only given... well... to fighters of great excellency."

Sideways glances shot from all directions of the room, none of them at anyone in particular. We all knew what that meant. It was just yet another reminder that Severin was no laughing matter, and quite possibly our deadliest single adversary yet.

It was as though the universe felt the need to reiterate _"You know what you're trying to do, right? You realize that you're crazy, right? Ok, just making sure. As long as you know."_

The vim we had all shared from our first night here was gone. Our thoughts amalgamated on that much. The longer we took to subdue Severin, the more pessimistic we became.

"Do you know where these street fights are held, Saxon?" Shifu asked.

"Not really."Saxon said. "There are a few different locations. They keep changing so the organization is never discovered."

I would have taken what Saxon had said as fact and moved on, but Shifu lingered.

"Saxon, have you ever been to one of these fights?" He asked it simply, yet hidden somewhere in his friendly tone I'd only heard him use with Saxon, there was a suspicion of authoritativeness.

Saxon didn't look away from Shifu. Rather, he continued staring at him unsure what to say next. Finally without warning he said "Once."

"Saxon tell us all you know. Anything you tell us can help." Shifu said. Even though by this point, it wasn't needed, Shifu added "There may be lives at stake."

Saxon divulged "I've seen one of these fights of Severin's. A few months back I heard one of my buyers bring it up in conversation. He talked me into going so I went with him. It was held at some abandoned building at the outskirts of Rem Hai. Severin was placed up against another fighter, Zianto. The fight was callous. There's no etiquette with street fighters, Shifu. They're not dissuaded from fighting unhonorably."

"Most of our combatants aren't." remarked Viper.

Despite this being a bigger lead into our situation than we expected, Saxon didn't appear to be proud of this knowledge. "If we found one of these places, it might be possible to sneak in and apprehend him there."

Saxon said "But Shifu, it would be impossible to sneak in unnoticed. Maybe if you were planning on one person sneaking in, but one person won't be able to take in Severin, not to mention with the people in attendance there as witness."

"It's our closest we've got. We'll have to find a way into that place a night we'll know he'll be there."

Shifu looked to the rest of us as if for conformation that what he was saying was indeed possible. We nodded, as he expected though it was with little ardor, but it was interrupted by Tigress. "Am I the only one who thinks this is insane?"

_Not at all, you're just the only one voicing it._

It wasn't often Tigress showed disbelief in what we were all capable of. But she was right. We were jumping into a world we knew nothing about.

_Jada Zadora: Aren't we always afraid of the things we know little about? Things we can't see; a disease, deep waters, ghosts. Things where our imagination runs wild. We don't really know what their capable of._

Crane said "I hate to seem like a downer too, but we're going up against a guy who's never been defeated. Doesn't one have to be undefeatable to defeat someone undefeatable?"

"I said Severin has never been beaten." Saxon clarified sitting up straight. "There is a big difference between undefeated and undefeatable."

* * *

><p>Shifu's plan for taking in Severin will be revealed in the next chapter, which hopefully won't take as long as this one did.<p>

Let me know what you think!

BE TRUE  
>RE-VIEW<p> 


	11. Ch 11 Caught in the Act

_Hey folks! Hope you all have been doing well._

_Well, Jo and Jada are together again and few surprises come with this chapter. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 11  
><strong>**Caught in the Act**

Tiny stone fragments rattled inside the box I had tucked under my arm. Jada had gone on another excursion to buy more polished stones for her jewelry-making pastime and asked if I wanted to come along. Ever since my dye-job I never turned down an opportunity to walk around in public. We had trekked to the store and were now on our way back the house. It was early afternoon now and pedestrian traffic was at a high.

Passing a series of fruit carts, Jada said "Like I said, the store here doesn't have much variety." It was true. The store's selection was limited. I'd seen scores more in my parent's business. "I'd really like to eventually see your parents' store."

"Maybe you can visit some time." I said hoping this was an event that would actualize by itself and not just be spoken of as a good idea.

"Me and my dad actually were talking about traveling there for the winter festival. Our city's annual Autumn Festival is actually getting pretty close."

"Is it?" I asked not realizing the time passing. I couldn't tell if the day we came seemed like yesterday or a year ago. "How long have we been here?"

"A couple weeks I suppose." Jada said. "Does Rem Hai feel like a second home now?"

"I guess it does. Maybe not as much as the-" I suddenly forgot what I was talking about, too distracted by the oncoming sight. I thought my eyes were deceiving me. But they weren't.

The wolverine was on the sidewalk. And walking right toward us.

_Here?_ It seemed a rather public place for me to be seeing him. He almost blended in with all the other pedestrians. He wasn't pointing to himself. The glowing rings weren't on his chest like last time. He wasn't even staring at me.

We were getting closer. I wanted to say something. But my ability to vocalize apparently went truant. I looked right at him, and just for a second we made eye contact.

And that was it. It was no more or no less than a look you would give to a random passer by.

Then he passed and was behind me. I thought to look back but I didn't.

"Did you just see that guy?" I asked Jada almost instantly.

"What guy?" Jada said.

_Had she not seen him? Was she distracted by our conversation or had he only been in my head again?_

I practically wanted to ask some of the surrounding people if they had seen him too, but that of course would have looked more bizarre than my question to Jada.

"Just someone I thought I knew." I said. "Looked like someone I'd seen back in the valley."

"A friend of yours?" she asked.

"I think so."

When we made it back to her house I set the box down in the living room.

"How was your morning?" Jada asked. "Do much of anything?"

"Not a whole lot. Lately I've been busy training outside training lately." I said not realizing the redundancy until the words left my mouth.

Jada giggled slightly. "Well you must be doing it alot then."

I sighed smiling. Sometimes this girl was just too much for me. "How do you just overlook all the dumb things I say in front of you" I asked.

"I don't think you ever sound dumb." Jada said as if it were a completely foreign idea.

"Then you must not listen all the time. I'm kinda stupid when it comes to talking sometimes" I said with a chuckle in self-deprecating humor.

"Stop doing that." she said suddenly turning serious.

"Doing what?" I asked not sure where her statement was coming from.

"Putting yourself down like that." she said folding her arms with a look of disapproval.

"I'm just joking." I said trying to shrug it off with a smile. Though I could see by her expression that it was going to take more than that to dissuade her.

"But you believe it."

I saw that her concern was legitimate in her eyes, and a seed of guilt speedily grew inside me. "Sorry," I said I just thought it would make you laugh."

"You make me laugh more with your actual jokes." she said warming up again. "I've been meaning to tell you... You remember the kiss we had?" she asked then adding "that day down by the lake," as if I could forget our one and only kiss (let alone _my_ one and only kiss).

"Yes." I said.

"I know we haven't really talked about it. I just wanted to let you know... it was my first kiss of my life, besides my dad I mean."

I let slip out "I know." I followed up with "It was my first too."

"I'm really glad you were my first." she said. I could tell she meant it.

"Me too."

She leaned forward. There was no mistaking it this time. She was the one who initiated the kiss. Before I knew it, her hand was on my chest pressing ever-so slightly. Gentle as it was, it still was enough to push me up against the wall. My own hand, braver than I, ventured to her hand and held it there against my chest continuing to feel her fingers work their way through my chestnut fur till she could feel my heart beat.

Our lips parted at a sound in the room and we both froze.

There, in the living room with us was Saxon. Neither one of us had seen him enter the room and walk passed us while we were blissfully only taking in each other. But what confused us both and made it even more unsettling was that he wasn't currently looking at us, but rather had his attention on the contents of the top drawer of a desk in the room.

Had he not seen us? It was impossible. He had to have seen us. But there he was rummaging through the drawer as though we weren't even in the room.

He produced a small metal tool from the drawer, apparently what he'd been looking for, then looked toward me and Jada, no longer kissing but still together, both standing there watching him not sure what to say.

After a colossally uncomfortable second Saxon shrugged. "Well don't let me interrupt." he said matter-of-factly. "Continue." Then he exited the room with his tool in hand.

* * *

><p>I was separating stones again in Saxon's shop. Sorting them by color just like last time. Only an hour had passed since his unnoticed intrusion on our osculation. I had walked in here when Jada and I wordlessly agreed one of us had to say something to him after the encounter. So, I had walked into his shop to work and clumsily brought the subject up. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.<p>

"She's had the occasional crush, sure." Saxon was saying while fine tuning the point on a new blade. "But she never... well I knew once she turned thirteen that it was bound to happen."

I was curious if he was playing what he saw over and over in his head. Walking into the living room, seeing us kissing, then passing by casually to retrieve his device. How could any father ignore a sight like that.

"In a way, I guess I saw it coming," Saxon said.

"What do you mean?"

"What with the amount of time yall've been spending t'gether and the way she talks about you."

_She talks about me?_

"I guess it's pointless to say the rest. You've probably heard it said before. I just want to make sure she's treated well. Especially ever since... Lian left."

"Your wife?" I asked. "Jada told me."

Saxon smiled humbly. "Of course she did. Lian's leaving was so sudden. I hadn't known she was so unhappy here. If I'd only known..." Saxon trailed off not wanting to go into the agonizing details. It was clear the events had affected him and Jada both. Maybe that's what gave them such a strong bond as father and daughter. The full events were coming back to him. I could see it in his eyes. "It devastated me but it crushed Jada. For a while I wasn't sure if she'd ever get over her mom's absence."

"She's been a great friend to me, Saxon." I said earnestly. "She sees me. Like... really sees me. She's able to look past all my imperfections."

"Jada's aways been good at doing that." Saxon said.

"So you're ok with me and her being together?" I asked knowing his reply would be all too important.

He took the knife off the grinder examining how the edge had grown sharper reflecting on my statement. "I guess you're as good a candidate as anybody to be my daughter's first." He then turned still holding the blade in his hand and pointed toward me oblivious to his stance that looked even more threatening from my point of view. "But, Jo," he said returning to his tough demeanor that I knew so well from him. "Treat her right."

I nodded quietly to show respect appreciatively. "Yes Sir."

He smiled. "And don't ever call me 'Sir' again."

"Yes ma'am- I mean sir- I mean Saxon- I mean..."

He held up a hand to stop me. "Jo, relax. I know what you mean." He showed his toothy grin and my quickly nettled nervousness lessened.

"Right," I said edging toward the door feeling I had said all I needed. As I entered back into the house I found Po right behind the doorway with his smirk that was becoming a common thing when Po thought about me and Jada together.

Po asked beginning to laugh "Making a good impression on the future in-laws?"

* * *

><p>For the second night in a row we were all sitting in the living room, the only difference being that Saxon wasn't here this time. "I know that this excursion hasn't been an easy fix," Master Shifu said to us all. "But our efforts may be rewarded within the coming week."<p>

I couldn't imagine what conclusion we would be coming to tonight. Most of us, including Master Shifu, were stultified by the lack of progress. Visiting houses that Severin had broken into didn't give as much information as we had hoped. We knew we couldn't do it forever, but we all thought another idea would come from it. Now it had just become a boondoggle in a sense. Outside of the medal, we had very few leads.

"We may have found a way to get into that building Saxon mentioned the other night."

None of us had been expecting this. This was much bigger than what we thought, but it raised so many questions at once.

"But Master Shifu, how do we even know if Severin will be there the night we try to sneak in?" Crane asked. "I thought that Severin hasn't had many street fights lately. Wasn't that why he started robbing?"

"Severin is set to receive a new challenger very soon. He will be there." Shifu said

"Are we really gonna try to sneak in?" Tigress asked doubtfully. "Saxon made it sound like the place was air-tight."

"Chor Gom prison was once called 'air-tight,'" I said. Tigress looked caught off by my remark. Not angry, only surprised.

I hadn't thought as I had spoken that I was popping a hole in her logic. I had meant only to put whatever Shifu's plan was into perspective. I wasn't sure how Tigress was taking it now. But she returned to her normal state. Maybe it was stupid to think she'd be upset over a little thing like that.

"And this place isn't likely to have half the security." Shifu said following my statement. "If the plan works well, we won't even have to sneak around the security."

"How do we get in without sneaking in?" Po asked. The rest of our speculations began to grow. We all felt Master Shifu was keeping some piece of the puzzle hidden from us.

"We won't be sneaking in. We'll be walking in. Right along with Severin's challenger of the night."

"His challenger?" Viper asked.

"Monkey and I have had a long talk about it. And well... Monkey why don't you tell them." Shifu said.

We all looked toward monkey who was sitting up straight with his hands folded, quite a contrast from his usual conduct. The gears had begun to turn in our heads but we had only just understood after he took a deep breath and said "I will challenge Severin."

* * *

><p><em>Did you see that coming? Hope not<em>

_Leave a review if you can. I'd like to know what you think._


	12. Ch 12 Dark Alleys

_Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while. This was possibly the hardest semester that I've ever been through and it ate up a good portion of my time. But now I'm out for the summer so hopefully I'll be getting the next few chapters out a little quicker._

_R&R_

_Made up words: (haven't done one of these in a while)_

**conscere-**_ Something that catches one's attention due to one's familiarity with it._

**abscedare-** _Lack of a certain thing that catches one's attention due to one's expectance of it being present._

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<strong>  
><strong>Chapter 12<strong>  
><strong>Dark Alleys<strong>

"He didn't even take his action figures this time. What if he needs them?" Mr. Ping said setting down a crate in the kitchen.

Kaleb re-entered the kitchen from the back door with a box in hand as well. "You really think he would need action figures?" Kaleb was lending Ping a hand as usual on his delivery days. They both knew this was the best time to do it. The lunch crowd had dwindled and the dinner crowd had yet to form. It was best to bring in the shipment of vegetables and uncooked noodles.

"You'd be surprised from other journeys my son has told me about." Mr. Ping said. "They're usually never gone this long. It's been weeks." Ping said.

Kaleb smiled to himself. He always wondered how it was possible that Ping worked himself up so much more than he or Kalida did despite the fact that Po was older than Jo. Of course he still grew anxious from time to time. Nervous as they were after they heard about Jo's near death experience(s) over the summer, they quickly accepted that this was their son's path in life. And it was a noble path to follow.

"I love delivery days" Ping remarked carrying in a new load of carrots and celery. "Careful with the potatoes." he warned as Kaleb set the heavy sack down. "The bag may split."

"Since when do you get those delivered?"asked Kaleb dusting his hands off.

"I don't usually use potatoes, but I'm trying a new recipe. What with the Autumn festival almost here I have to try few new ones. Why don't you and Kalida come over tonight when some is finished."

"That sounds great." Kaleb said smiling. "I nearly forgot about the autumn festival. Business doesn't usually get crazy for us until the winter festival. People buying gifts for the holidays and whatnot. Kalida and I are going to have our hands full."

"I wonder if they'll be back in time to celebrate it here?" Mr. Ping hoped out loud.

"Probably for the Winter festival. I wouldn't count on the Autumn festival though." Kaleb said taking a load off his feet by sitting on one of the stools. "I got a letter from Jo the other day. Said that their plans aren't going quite as well as they'd hoped."

"What's happened? Something terrible!" Mr. Ping said nearly climbing over the counter.

"Nothing terrible." Kaleb said relaxed in great contrast to his nervous friend. "Only that they haven't caught the fugitive yet." Seeing that his friend still wasn't calmed down he reiterate "Those two are fine. They may be the Dragon Warriors but they know not to just go throwing themselves into danger."

* * *

><p>I pulled my black cape more closely around me so that it covered my entire upper half of my body.<p>

Eventide had struck almost an hour ago and now it was completely dark in the sky. The swish of the cape and and Po's dark cloak were the only sounds heard in the undisturbed dark street. It was the same attire we both wore the first time I met Saxon on my 13th birthday. The situations were very similar though; Po and I in disguise (me doubly so if you count the die-job), in a shady part of town, rendezvousing with a person I knew next to nothing about. The only difference was that this time Po also wore a round straw hat and that Rem Hai's definition of "shady" was worlds different than the Valley's definition. Though we were a visual yin and yang we did our best to stay inconspicuous. This was rather complicit business we were involved in now.

I looked up at Po to assess his current demeanor. I was sure that anyone of average height wasn't able to see his eyes with the hat's wide brim and his head tilted forward, but being several heads shorter than Po I was able to see his facial expressions under the hat. He showed no other emotion other than determination.

Po and I had volunteered to make this short excursion. Neither one of us wanted to ruin what seemed to be such a simple task for Master Shifu. We were merely to enter Monkey as a fighter in a match with Severin. How could that be screwed up?

_Don't ask that!_

But it was a serious matter if it involved Severin. Severin's reputation preceded itself, apocryphal as it was, it was a reputation that needed to some degree to be respected.

_Or feared._

After a while of walking Po said "So Saxon didn't tear your head off when he found out?" Though he was making casual small talk to cope with weighty duty we had, he held the strange setting in mind by keeping his voice low.

"I know. It was the last thing I expected him to do." I decided to keep my voice low too. "But it's nice to know he thinks I'm good enough for his daughter."

"I'm just glad to see she's good enough for you." Po said smirking. I smiled back up at him, subdued a bit though. The underlit surroundings had that strange effect.

"Where are we supposed to meet this person again?" I asked.

"Saxon said, according to his sources, that we should be meeting some girl near the bakery."

The farthest I had been from the Saxon's house since we came here was the shop where me and Jada had gone to pick up her stones, we had already passed that early on in the walk, not to mention the fortune teller's shop, and the boarding house and any other place I'd been.

When the bakery was insight Po and I both saw a figure standing off to the side of the structure. She was a clouded leopard in her early twenties, dressed in what appeared to be an all black attire version of Tigress's vest and pants. As she watched us approach she kept her posture reclining against the building the same. She looked like she could put up a fair fight herself

"Are you Villa-Cher?" Po asked.

"Depends." she said smoothly now choosing to stand. "Who are you?"

"The names, Zhu." Po said resting one hand on the outer wall of the building putting his weight on it. "I'm here representing my man Reezaw."

"And this Reezaw is the one spoken of. The one challenging Severin Cai?" she asked.

"You know it. He's been saying for a while that he's tired of everything being so easy for him." Po said giving his best performance in playing up Monkey's persona. Maybe a little too much though. I was praying he didn't overplay Monkey's abilities. Amazing as his abilities were, there was a limit to what he could do. But as long as Po didn't start bragging about "Reezaw's" ability to fly or move stuff with his mind, we were good.

"Then who's the squirt?" Villa-Cher asked clearly indicating me.

Po raised a cocky eyebrow with a smile. "My bodyguard."

_What?_

I resisted the instantaneous urge to turn to Po confused. She looked on me again then back at Po. "Bodyguard?" She obviously had an even harder time picturing it than I did. I couldn't imagine what was going through Po's mind when he said that.

"Yeah, can't go anywhere without him. Guy's saved my neck quite a few times from some raving lunatics." Po said reminiscently before adding with warning "So don't try anything funny."

She looked at Po like he was being ridiculous, but at the same time she also eyed me warily. Taking the cue from Po, I simply stood there staring back at her coldly as if to say "Wanna find out if he's telling the truth?"

"Very well." she said finally, having lost the staring battle with me. The match will be this Friday."

"And where will said match be held?" Po subtly asked all finesse-y and cunning-like.

"An escort will meet you at the old candle shop near the edge of town." she replied. "The crowds will be pleased. Severin's been in need of a new challenger for a while."

"We'll be there." Po said. With nothing else to be said, we began our walk back to Saxon's house. Once we were out of her earshot I said to Po "Did you really think she would just tell us where the match was held?"

"I was hoping, but not expecting." Po shrugged.

I said "We shoulda just grabbed her and taken her in for questioning."

Po said "She probably doesn't even know where Severin is herself. Probably only knows a person who can get a hold of him and even that person may have to get a hold of him through another person."

"Then we're hunting down 10 people just to find one." I said seeing Po's point. "They really do try to keep this under wraps, don't they? That probably wasn't even her real name."

"Why would she make up her name?" Po asked.

"You gave her a fake name." I pointed out. "You didn't even give me a fake name. Only that I was your bodyguard. And by the way, while we're on the subject of made up aliases, I gotta ask; Bodyguard?"

Po chuckled to himself while rubbing the back of his neck. "Ok, I kinda made that up on the spot." Po admitted

"I'm surprised she believed that. I don't see how she could look at you and then at me and think 'that badger is his protector.'"

"It's not such a weird idea. Haven't you ever heard those tales where theres a mighty kung fu warrior with a dwarf bodyguard? Everyone's all 'haha, what can he do? He so sm-' WACHA!" Po yelled out and struck a bizarre punching pose that had me jump back at the abruptness. "Before they can finish, the little guy finishes them off."

"So now I'm a dwarf?" I said cocking my head to one side.

"Well no but... Well you're not exactly..." Po trailed off nervously.

"Point taken." I said. "I'm not the tallest guy around."

"No you're no... ok you're right." Po admitted. "But that's not a bad thing. look at Master Shifu. He's small and he can take on anyone. Hell, look at Mantis."

"True." I said.

"Besides, we've been each other's body guards in the past." Po said. Which was the truth. I had saved him and the rest from Montenegro and he saved me from Tai Lung.

"I guess in a way that makes us **blood** brothers." I said smiling.

"I suppose it does. Plus, you already have another body guard. The wolv-"

Po was cut off by the the apparent materialization of a croc and a bull standing in our way each armed with wooden clubs. The croc cracked his knuckles in a meant-to-be threatening way and grunted "Give us your money!"

Almost instantly, Po and I struck a fighting stance readying ourselves. The two thieves saw we were serious about taking them on and they moved in.

Po threw his straw hat like a disk at the bull's face distracting him long enough to land a punch against his chest.

Meanwhile the croc had already turned his attention toward me.

I drew my dagger out of it's sheath, but no sooner had I done this than his club struck my hand and my knife flew from it unpredictably. I immediately withdrew my hand from the pain regretfully not taking notice of which way the dagger went.

Remembering my lessons with Crane I jumped and thrusted my foot out striking him in the chest, which landed precisely where I wanted. Although it knocked the croc back for a second he was almost immediate in his response attack. I went to punch him but he smugly whipped himself around striking me off balance with his scale-armored tale knocking me to the ground.

_Question: Where is a croc's week spot?_

But as I hit the ground, by chance, my eyes had connected with another set of eyes. A pair of eyes that was all too familiar to me. Those of the wolverine.

My mind had conscerically picked him out a short length away in a small alley between two buildings.

Making my retreat from the crocodile in the direction where I saw the wolverine in the darkness. Once I was standing in front of him, just a few feet separating us, I panted "You're here?"

The wolverine lifted a hand and pointed to the ground. I looked down, and laying there at my feet was my knife.

He had brought me to my knife.  
><em>That got some distance.<em>

I knelt down and picked it up but almost instantly heard movement behind me. The croc, believing I had fled from him in fear had followed me into the alley. As he lifted his club to swing I gripped the handle of my knife and spun toward him slicing a clean cut across

_Answer: His stomach. _

The crocodile seethed backwards in pain trying to stop the blood flow with his hand. At the same time he heard his bull comrade hysterically call out obviously in need of backup. I knew Po must nearly have defeated him. With his hadn still on the fresh wound, the bandit staggered away to help his friend muttering to himself "The kid's crazy."

I turned back around.

The wolverine was still standing there. Standing witness to the fight.

His eyes.

His eyes are what I had seen even in the dark alley (or possibly **because** it was in a dark alley). He didn't do anything else though. He just stood as though he was waiting for me to do something.

"I know you want to protect me." I said faintly.

He nodded. He understood.

"You were there the night my parents were taken away."

Again, he nodded.

I went on. "I'm not afraid. Show me what you want to show me."

He pointed to the center of his chest as always. Then traced the three glowing circles on his stomach from before. I waited a moment knowing he had shown all this to me before. After that he touched his stomach on the point where all three circle overlapped and with that single touch they all disappeared. I waited longer to see if there was anything else, but he just stared at me with those penetrating eyes.

"Is that it then?" I asked. "That's all you wanted to show me?"

What happened next, nearly made me jump out of my skin.

He spoke to me.

"When the time comes. Don't think. Just act."

His voice was clear as a bell and rung just as much as one in my ears. His voice had always been an abscedare that I had eventually assumed would never be discovered. Now that I had heard it. I had no idea how to react. Before I could think of anything else to say, the wolverine vanished into the darkness.

Out of the quiet came another voice. Po's voice. "You all right, Jo?"

Po was at my side and I suddenly penitently remembered that there had been a fight that Po had probably finished by himself.

"Yeah I'm fine." I said. "Where are the bandits?"

"There gone. They took off." Po said. "What happened."

"The wolverine was here." I said.

_Talk about being saved from raving lunatics._

* * *

><p><em>Hey thanks for reading. <em>

_In case you didn't get the line "subtly asked all finesse-y and cunning-like," it's reference to a line Po said in the episode "Jailhouse Panda."_

_Next chapter will be Monkey's fight with Severin._

_If you have any feedback or opinions let me know. I'd appreciate it alot!_


	13. Ch 13 Monkey's Match

_Hello All!_

_I'm really sorry to make you wait this long. I don't know why this chapter took so long, but I hope you enjoy it!_

_R&R_

made up word:

_**deprimote**- give the appearance of humbleness_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<strong>  
><strong>Chapter 13<br>Into the Bamboo Forest  
>(Monkey's Match)<strong>

_**Friday Night**_

Our escort turned out to be Villa-cher from the other night. We had journeyed to the edge of town as she said where the city of Rem Hai was backed by large bamboo forest.

"This the entire posse?" she asked.

We had all some this time. Along with me and Po wearing our cloak and cape from a few nights before, everyone altered their wardrobe slightly. Master Shifu had borrowed one of Saxon's brick-red shirts and pants for the occasion, and I have to say it was weird seeing him in different attire. I couldn't hardly remember a time I saw him in anything other than his traditional robe. I also wore a different belt than usual. The leather belt I was wearing carried my supply of throwing stars, each slipped into a thin slot in the leather. The belt's design itself was not a design of my own, but borrowed my friend back home, Sincato. He had once shown me a self-made vest of his equipped to carry an entire set of impressive throwing knives (also made by him). He had helped me construct a belt of similar design capable of holding a dozen throwing stars. After the incident in the alley, I wanted to have more than just my knife on me, which I also had.

"This is all of us." Monkey said. Being under the guise of the fighter, Reezaw, we figured it best if he walked in front, though Master Shifu never stayed more than a step behind him.

"Good, let's get going then." Villa said turning to a narrow worn path entering the forest. The rest of us followed closely.

We had all of our plans straight before leaving. We didn't dare risk talking about it outside for fear we'd blow our cover. Once we reached our destination we would split into two groups. Tigress and Mantis would hide somewhere near the exit/entrance of the warehouse (as Saxon referred to it) ready for just after the fight. The rest of us would go into the warehouse posing as Monkey's cavalcade where we would have to talk to the fightmaster first. According to Saxon the spectators usually leave first leaving the match participants and any of their comrades the last ones to leave to receive their payment for the match. From what Saxon could tell us, Severin had no convoy of followers so he shouldn't have anyone with him, one of downsides to being a wanted fugitive. When Severin was just exiting, Mantis and Tigress would pounce. Shifu had instructed them on basic knock-out as to not let it fall into a prolonged fight. Tigress also had hidden beneath her vest, a coil of rope in case they had to subdue him afterwards. Of course the rest of us would be close by, but they had to be prepared to fight without us in case we became tied up with the fightmaster. We would have to make quick work with him to give them back up as they needed. We were fearful of adding anyone else to their two-person group for fear that the disappearance of members from our group would draw attention. Hopefully after his fight with Monkey, Severin would be a little winded so they might not need our help.

We spent nearly 20 minutes down the dark path in the forest of bamboo, the only sound being our own footsteps, then spent another 10 minutes when our escort went off the path. How she could tell where she was going, I'm not sure. Even if she had done this several times before, it was as though she had an internal map. It became harder to navigate through the thick brush of the tightly knit bamboo. At the end of those confusing ten minutes, the bamboo coverage stopped surprisingly abruptly leaving a large clearing before us. The clearing was dominated by a huge building.

_Our Destination_

Saxon had been right in his description of it being a warehouse. Though one of the first things that I'm sure the masters noticed was that the security was as "air-tight" as thought. The building was rectangular in shape, only one story but the gambrel roof made it seem taller, and only two doors at opposite ends of it. Both doors were manned by two large oxen.

It was clear that our earlier plans to infiltrate the place while Severin was there would have been next to impossible to pull off. While the two guards might have been easy to get past we would have never been able to find the place. And even if we could, I couldn't see how we would be able to find our way out with Severin in tow.

"Here you are." Villa said. "Posses and people with money bet on Reezaw enter through that door. Everyone on Severin's side goes through the other. When the fight is over, I'll escort you back."

Small groups of people here and there dotted the clearing here and there. Most of them discussing bets on the match beginning to split up between the two sides. I was just able to pick out some of their conversations.

"You're not going for Severin?"

"Are you crazy?"

"Nah, I'm bettin' on this new guy."

"What've you heard?"

"Heard this other guy beat off a dozen crocs by himself."

"I heard that too, and they all had like spinning blades or something."

I couldn't help but chuckle at hearing this. _I worry about how news spreads sometimes. _Maybe we should have spread some rumors in our favor.

As we were walking Master Shifu waited making sure none of the people were in earshot when he whispered. "Tigress, Mantis, the roof. Hide on the roof. Once everyone is inside knock out the guards of the door on the Severin's side. Drag their unconscious bodies into the brush then wait up on the roof till after the fight. The second you see Severin come out the door, POUNCE. Don't take your eyes off the door."

Tigress and Mantis nodded and slyly slipped from our group unnoticed.

The guards let us through the door which brought us into a small room, I suppose an antechamber of sorts. As symmetrical as this building appeared from the outside I figured there must be an identical antechamber on the opposite end on Severin's side. Next we were entering a much bigger room where I was assuming the fight would occur. Whatever this building had been used for before it was picked up by street fighters wasn't that noticeable. High wooden rafters festooned in cobwebs interlaced overhead. More spectators were inside than I had seen outside. At least 50 people stood around the arena, which was more than Saxon had said was here the time he came. Villa was right when she said the crowds had been waiting for another Severin fight. Saddly, a good majority of the crowd on the opposite side.

A fighting ring constructed of what looked like old fence sections shakily stood at the center of the warehouse. About 30 feet in diameter, it gave a decent amount of room for two fighters exchange blows. On the opposite end, leaning against the railing of the ring, was the Lynx who could only be Severin Cai.

It was the first time I really was able to get a good prolonged look at him. dressed in dark gray pants, he was of average height (so decently tall to me) and while not particularly large, his wiry body came with a powerful build. Spots as dark as black iron covered his body without any distinct pattern to them. Stark gray eyes seemed to deprimote the darkness I knew his mind was capable of. His pointed ears couldn't have looked more like horns if the devil himself had crafted him (which I didn't completely doubt). Even backdropped by the multitude of spectators, he filled the space with his presence.

_So this is the guy that wants me dead._

While I still had my attention turned toward him, a large takin approached us. I assumed that he was the fightmaster Saxon had mentioned. He was dressed more presentable than any of the viewers, not that it was by much. "You're Reezaw?" he said to Monkey.

Monkey nodded.

"Good, we've been waiting for you. Well, get in the ring, I'm going to make the announcement and then we can start."

"Right now? Just like that?" Monkey asked confused. Though the takin was walking away so this question was directed to Shifu.

The fightmaster obviously thought that Monkey's persona must have been in enough street fights to know how things were done.

Shifu said "You heard him, get in ring."

Monkey skeptically climbed over the low fence of the ring preparing for the match that drew closer. I was suddenly really glad I wasn't in Monkey's shoes. Suddenly being expected to know the ends and outs of street fighting or else blow the cover of the entire operation had to be a sizable weight for one person to carry. Then again, his place being a simple fighting opponent of Severin was better than being his condemned target like I was.

"How does this happen?" Monkey asked leaning over the railing growing apprehension in his voice. "Do we shake hands or something before the fight? I mean, what's the... rules?"

"It's street fighting." Crane remarked in a low voice. "I doubt there are any."

The takin now stood atop an overturned crate along one edge of the ring.

"Attention! sorry to keep you waiting but of course that's what makes a good fight well worth it. TONIGHT you shall witness a match between the undefeated SEVERIN!"

A resounding of cheers came from the crowd as Severin lifted his weight off the fence ring and walked a few steps forward, taking in the applause.

When the cheering died down, the fightmaster continued. "And tonight's challenger, REEZAW!" To my surprise the following cheers were almost just as loud, admittedly they ended much quicker. These people really were desperate to see Severin fight some one.

Once again the takin continued after the cheers stopped. "Alright, I want a nice clean match." After a moment of pause he busted out laughing causing a following of cackles from all of the spectators. We all uncertainly joined in when we realized this was a joke. Gaining his composure he continued "Beat the tar out of each other for all I care. And... FIGHT!"

In his typical fighting fashion, Monkey stayed on his toes with hands raised also keeping his tail tightly curled. Severin on the other hand barely seemed on his guard. In fact his demeanor seemed only slightly less casual than it was when he was resting against the fence.

I knew Severin's ostentation must be irking Monkey a little bit. I had a feeling this would cause monkey to make the first move, and I had been right.

Monkey flew at Severin with a punch. Severin blocked it with a quick swing of his arm, you might have thought he was swatting a fly. Severin then retaliated with a leg sweep knocking Monkey off his feet and onto his back. Severin jumped and in an instant was on top of him, but monkey planted his feet against Severin's chest pushing him off of him. Now Severin was on his guard. He came at him with a series of punches, though thankfully Monkey was just as quick with his hands and his blocking held for the first few punches, but the second that Monkey let his guard down to throw another punch of is own, Severin brought his knee up to Monkeys stomach which unfortunately caught him off guard enough to also land front kick to his chest. Monkey momentarily fell but was quick to get on his feet this time. I could tell he was wracking his brain for strategy, and every prayer I had was going toward him.

suddenly Monkey leapt into the air and grabbed one of the rafters. His momentum carried him in a full circle over the rafter before he flung himself at Severin in a flying punch. It might have worked had Severin not grabbed monkeys arm at the last second throwing monkey to tumble onto the ground with a series of thuds. Severin stood back for a second before realizing his opponent wasn't moving.

Monkey was down. And he looked as though he was making no effort to get up.

_PLEASE, be ok_

"3... 2... 1" the fightmaster shouted. "And the winner and still reigning champ is... SEVERIN!"

Severin lifted up his hands in triumph facing the crowd as the cheers went louder than ever. As he turned around, I caught sight of Severin's face. He didn't seem particularly elated at what just happened. He was triumphant, and it's not like he was despondent, but still he seemed much less enthusiastic than you would expect having just won a fight. _Was winning a fight such a normal thing for him now?_

Moments later, the masses began exiting through the doors causing a bit of a build up at the openings. The group of us entered the ring edging closer toward Monkey who had barely sat up.

"Monkey, are you ok?" Viper asked. I could tell she immediately knew that was a stupid question.

With a series of groans, Monkey started to stand, or tried to at least. Crane came quickly to his side to help him up.

By now the warehouse was nearly empty. Except for Severin and the fightmaster who were currently talking. While the other's helped Monkey, Po and I kept watching Severin. We couldn't hear what they were saying but after a few seconds, the fight master handed Severin a larger pouch that jingled with the sounds of coins. They exchanged a few more words the Severin made for the exit.

_Right where Mantis and Tigress are_

The takin now came to us. Before saying anything he handed Monkey a much smaller pouch with coins in it.

"What's this?" Monkey asked still wincing with pain. "I lost."

"Something for your troubles." the takin said, not a hint of pity in his voice. "You're a decent fighter, drew quite a crowd today. You lasted longer than the last 3 guys who took on Severin. You're free to enter the fights here any time." The takin then turned to go out the door we came in at, but the group of us immediately headed for the other door Severin had gone out of. There was no telling if Tigress and Mantis had already gotten the job done or if they were in desperate need of our assistance. Passing through the antechamber we were met with the cool night air. We saw the last of the crowd members disappearing into the forest but no sign of Severin.

Just then Tigress and Mantis dropped down from the roof right next to us.

"What are you doing coming outside?" Tigress immediately asked.

"Us?" Shifu asked bewildered. "Why were you still on the roof? Where's Severin?"

"He hasn't come out yet." said Mantis

Crane said "Yes he did. We saw him go out that door. He was the last one, he should have been easy to spot."

"No he didn't." Tigress said adamantly. "We watched every person who came out of that door. He has to still be inside."

"Unless..." Po started pointing back to the door to the ante chamber. We all immediately rushed back into the small room conjoining the outside with the warehouse room. The room was too small to hide and it was completely empty except for a few fence pieces from the ring leaning against the wall under...

An open window. Its casement covering flapping just slightly in the breeze.

"It's not possible." Tigress said astonished.

"That he could climb through a window? That's very possible." Mantis remarked.

"Not that." Tigress said. "I mean, it's like he knew we were coming."

* * *

><p>The walk back was a hard one, especially for Master Shifu and Monkey. Not that Monkey walked very much. Tigress, Po, and Crane alternated in acting as his crutch, switching whenever one of them got tired. Monkey had been thrashed pretty badly. He thankfully didn't have any major cuts, though his bruises weren't exactly easy to look at.<p>

_The whole ordeal had been for nothing. Our greatest ministrations were in vain_

Master Shifu said nothing on the long trudge out of the woods. Even once we were out of the woods and back on the streets of Rem Hai he still remained silent. None of us dared say anything to him, though I could tell each one of us had a dozen questions we wanted to ask.

_Is it possible Severin knew we were coming?_

This was a frightening thought, mainly because it lead to other ideas. If he knew we were coming what else did he know, if he knew we were coming why did he even show up? Had it been to only fight Monkey and then disappear just to make our efforts worthless.

and most of all

_Where do we go from here?_

Had all our hopes been in this one chance at getting him? The idea itself came at a time when we had no other options. There was no plan B. The state's uncertanty brought back memories of my excursion to rescue the masters. I hated not knowing what was coming next, as much now as I did then.

But I knew Shifu didn't know the answer to any of these questions.

Once we were back in the city, Villa-Cher departed, off handedly saying something about how the crowds would love another fight soon, though none of us were really listening. We were all in a state of our own gloom, and no amount of Mantis' or Monkey's (if he was even talking) levity would have sidetracked our minds from it.

The only arguably good thing was that we had witnessed Severin's ability firsthand. And while the knowledge may have been beneficial it was far from comforting.

Somehow I thought reaching Saxon's house would relieve some of the stress, but when I saw it approaching in the distance, the dejection only deepened. It somehow reminded us that we were returning empty handed. That our attempts had done nothing.

_Nothing_

A perfect ending to a terrible night.

We all walked into Saxon's house and didn't even bother to close the door as we did. To most of our surprises, Saxon and Jada were still up in the living room. It must have been 11 at night.

"How'd it go?" Saxon asked. You'd think he had waited the entire night for us.

Shifu only grimaced in Saxons direction, and who could blame him. He passed by and then slumped into the large armchair slowly sinking deeper into its cushiony structure.

"I take it things didn't go well?" Jada said to the rest of us.

"You could say that." Shifu said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Where do we go from here?" Tigress asked Master Shifu. I knew we were all glad someone finally asked it. "What's our next plan of attack?"

Shifu slowly looked up from where his eyes had been staring in his lap. I had never seen his face like this before. "What do you want me to say?" We all looked uncomfortably at each other praying someone would say something. "One of our members is severely hurt and we are no closer to catching Severin."

I slowly unfastened my leather belt letting it fall onto the couch cushion I was sitting on. Another moment of awkward silence before Viper piped up with "Saxon, you said if authorities would be able to corner him they could take him in. Maybe if we tell them about the warehouse-"

"We have no idea when or if he'll be there again." Shifu said not wanting her to finish an idea when he knew it wouldn't work. "Even if we did, could we honestly lead them there. Did any of you have the faintest idea of where we were going once we left that path?"

Saxon said "He probably got a bundle of spoils. If winning that fight was all the money he needed, then he might be heading to the valley of peace soon."

From the still open front door came a voice. "It looks like I won't have to."

* * *

><p><em>Dun dun DUN<em>

_Any chance I could get a review?_

_Pwease_


	14. Ch 14 Broken Walls

_Hey, readers!_

_Okay, I really owe you an apology. I know this update took me a ridiculously long time and I kinda left yall hanging there for a while. I recently started college again and had my 21st Birthday so it's been a bit crazy._

_But I have something that might make it up to you; A New Chapter! _

_Hope it delivers! _

_R&R_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 14  
><strong>**Broken Walls**

Severin stood leaning against the door frame like a customer asking if the place was still open. His face was oddly glazed as though carved in stone. You hardly would have thought he knew he was standing in front of several kung fu warriors and a weapons crafter.

None of us had moved at his voice aside from the violent influx of head turns. I could see Master Shifu was on the edge of his seat as though he could take to the sky at any second.

Taking our blank stares as a cue he simply said "Did you think I wouldn't notice the famed Master Monkey of the Furious Five? You even let him be trailed by a red panda who could only be Master Shifu, the Master of he Jade Palace, the very place I was seeking to infiltrate."

He walked into the room casually, even closing the door behind him. In that moment I could have sworn the room's temperature dropped by several degrees.

How was he here? This was supposed to be a safe place.

_Why? What makes this place any different than any other home or business he broke into? You haven't been safe. You've never been safe._

His eyes scanned the room till they came to rest on Po. Severin's expressionless mouth slowly quivered into the smallest of smug smiles. "I see the panda's here." I saw Po move slightly in his seat. Severin continued his tone growing darker. "Now, as for that second Dragon Warrior..."

Tigress quickly stood up readying herself looking in my direction. "Jo, get back!"

"Tigress!" Shifu shouted stricken with panic and Tigress realized.

She had just given away my disguise to the lynx. My brown fur now meant nothing.

Severin now turned to look at me, his look of elitism now fully realized. I was sure I'd pass out at any second. "Ah, I see. Gave your fur a different color? Clever, not that it will give you much defense now."

At this Viper lashed out and darted right at Severin, a move Po had once called "the flying whiplash." Severin dodged but was able to grab Viper by her tail as she was about to sail right past him. Tigress, and Po were next to their feet and were about to pounce on Severin when he whipped Viper back around like a pair of Nun chucks smacking Po and Tigress across the face with her knocking them back. Po stumbled over a chair in a loud clatter.

As Severin dropped Viper Shifu leapt at Severin in a flying kick. The kick was well-placed and threw Severin against the wall, but he had no sooner made contact with the wall than he made eye contact with me and bounded in my direction.

I scrambled over the back of the couch, not realizing until a moment later that I had left my belt with my shurikins and knife on the cushion.

Crane intervened between Severin and I. During his quick sprint toward me, Severin effortlessly snatched up the small table next to the couch and hurled it at Crane who was understandably thrown back by the blow and out of his way. Not separated anymore, Severin approached me. I quickly went for a front kick, but Severin parried against my leg pushing me to the ground. I scrambled nervously across the floor only to find myself against the corner of the room.

As Severin drew near I braced for the blow only to see Jada jump onto Severin's back, both arms wrapped around his neck.

"What the!" Severin yelled trying to shake her loose from him. He flung his powerful arm back knocking her off of him.

"Jada!" Saxon and I both yelled out as she fell to the ground my hand reaching out. Saxon ran to her. Severin sneered at my reaction, looking almost entertained by it. That distraction gave Po just enough time to throw a surprise punch at Severin catching him off for a second. Tigress then came in with a spin kick, but no matter what, every time he found a way to land on his feet or in another ready-position, as though being knocked back by his opponent was part of his plan.

A sound from outside quickly dawned on us all. Through the open window we saw a throng of Bulls and Rhinos, apparently drawn by the commotion we had been making accumulated outside the house.

"The city authorities!" Saxon shouted triumphantly.

"It's over Severin." Shifu said. "Come quietly."

Although he didn't appear worried, for the first time Severin Cai looked as though everything hadn't gone as planned.

Spying my dagger lying carelessly on the couch he grabbed it and ran full force at the front door not remembering that it opened inward. Though not keeping his speed he managed to bash his way through to the outside. We all followed out the wrecked door into the dark streets. Random villagers stood in their doorways wondering what was going on.

The authorities surrounded Severin girding any escape route. thinking quickly, Severin leapt grabbing onto a nearby roof ledge. He pulled himself up, ran up the sloping shingles and leapt off unseen on the other side. The bulls and rhinos all immediately traveled around the building attempting to follow him. Soon the noise of their commotion traveled far enough until the night was as silent as they had been when we walked home.

* * *

><p>"It's not broken. Just sprained."<p>

After I had helped Crane up the stairs into one of the bedrooms I sat in the corner watching as Master Shifu did a series of hand maneuvering tricks on Cranes left wing. Saxon later came in with some bandaging. His expertise was in fixing cuts and gashes, most likely from handling his own weapons, but assisted in any way that he could.

Crane had faired worse than anyone during the fight. Viper was only slightly dazed and Jada had not been hurt except for a slight bruise. She had retired to her bed shortly afterwards.

"I've done the best I can with it, Crane," Shifu said. "But it will be at least a week before you can use it properly again."

"Great," Crane replied sarcastically disguising the pain in his voice. "Now I'm gonna have to get used to walking everywhere again." Though he was hiding his pain in his sarcasm, I guilt still invaded my mind. I knew it would be an inconvenience to him.

Seeing I couldn't help anymore I left the room and made my way down the stairs back into the living room where Tigres, Viper, Monkey, Mantis and Po still sat. As I entered they all looked toward me for any news I might have.

As I sank into one of the seats and said "Crane is hurt."

Everyone sighed uneasily except for Tigress who muttered "Who's fault is that?"

My head bolted up. The comment had caught me off guard. The simple answer was Severin, but I knew that's not what she was implying.

"And what does that mean?" I asked.

"I suppose it doesn't matter to you why all this is happening. Severin is after you. We're risking our lives, Crane is hurt but you don't have a scratch."

I was struck speechless. This was more for Tigress than just her typical invidious nature.

"You've barely made it easier." Tigress said growing more cross by the second. "I mean, you even left the house in broad daylight at one point!"

My ears turned puce. I had never thought much on how my excursion had affected them, only what they had thought of me. She had touched on a true fault of mine that I couldn't deny but could only palliate.

"That was ONCE, WEEKS ago, and I apologized for that!"

I glanced around the room at the rest of them, all trying desperately to set their sight on anything else but me and Tigress. I honestly couldn't tell if they were on my side or Tigress's. Maybe they didn't want to strengthen either of our sides continuing the fight, maybe they knew we both had valid points, either way no one said a thing.

"You might as well have been making all our hard work for nothing." going on as though I had said nothing.

I stood up from my seat facing Tigress. "You think I want to be the reason that people are suffering? He's done this with his other robberies, and now one of my own friends is suffering from it and you think I can be happy about this!? You think I've been smiling this entire time as I watch the destruction he's caused? By the way, I'm not the one who gave away my cover."

Tigress bridled at my remark but stood firm having been reminded of her uncharacteristically stupid mistake. After a few seconds she shot out "At least I gave it away while I was trying to protect you," before walking to the stairs.

Her leaving gave me no chance to make a retort, not that I had one ready. Now Viper, Mantis, Monkey, Po and I were left in the room with her words hanging in the air like a silent echo for all of us to hear. Eventually the silence and uncertainty of what to say became overpowering and slowly everyone made their way to the stairs too. None of them said anything till Po was the last one.

"You coming up Jo?" he asked. Even he didn't know what to say, which, in a way, shocked me the most. Po always had something to say.

"I need a minute." I said

"Take your time." He truly did look sorry for me leaving. At least he wasn't disappointed in me like before. I don't think I could have handled it with that extra piece of added weight.

Of course I wasn't really handling it well as it is.

"_He's after me because I rescued you"_

_THAT'S what I should have said to Tigress._

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Broken Wall<strong>_

_Once the quintessence of good  
><em>_Now the paragon disgraced  
><em>_Once so strong it stood  
><em>_Now lays in shambles in the waste_

_The past has often told  
><em>_expect the unexpected  
><em>_Now predictions appear foretold  
><em>_And we are left unprotected_

_Through every quake and every stake  
><em>_We'll wait till the favors tilt  
><em>_But what will it possibly take  
><em>_To have this mighty wall re-built?_

_**Jo Dakota Crevan  
><strong>__**X. T. G.**_

* * *

><p>My so-called "minute" turned into an hour. Twice I had stood to go upstairs and sleep, and twice had backtracked into the living room to my original place. Both times I had made it to the bottom steps and stared up at the darkness at the top of the stairs just picturing all the masters lying restlessly in their beds, hearing the floor boards creak as I walked down the empty hallway knowing it was me. Knowing I was the epicenter of all that had happened. Jada was up there as well, sharing a room with Tigress no less. Some warrior she must think I am.<p>

The moonlight through the open door gave the decimated room a strange ambience as all the havoc wreaked was revealed.

Furniture was still over turned, the door still hanging off one hinge. I saw it all now like wreckage of a bygone nightmare. Darkness wouldn't hide it forever though. Even the next day when the sun would be up it wouldn't change the room's state.

I stared at the dismantled door for some time. Shouldn't I feel vulnerable without a door? Fear of someone being able to get in?

_Who could be worse than what we had tonight?_

Some time later, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I had expected Master Shifu or Po, but I was surprised when I saw it was Saxon.

Seeing me in my lugubrious state he came and sat down next to me on the couch.

"You been awake all this time?" he asked.

This wasn't entirely true. I'm sure I dozed off once or twice just sitting there. But for the most part, I simply sat staring and thinking. "I'm fine." I said flatly.

"I don't think anyone's fine right now." Saxon replied. "Especially you."

I stared at him trying to take in the picture that he made sitting there so pleasant and calm in a room that didn't reflect that impression. I remembered his first tough demeanor I saw him as when I met him the night of my Birthday. I honestly would have rathered it if he tore me limb from limb. I started to say "I'm sorry all this happened in your home, I mean..."

"I've been wanting to replace my front door for a while now anyway." he said with a chuckle. When he saw that I wasn't uplifted by the joke he said "Jo, don't worry about it. Seriously. I knew what I was signin' up for when I made the offer to Shifu. And nothing valuable was stolen."

"Except my knife." I said. "The hard work you and Jada put into it-"

Once again Saxon cut me off. "If the authorities don't recover it once they've taken Severin in, I'll make you another one." I saw that Saxon wasn't going to get angry no matter what I gave him. He continued "What really puzzles me is 'Why take your knife?' There are plenty of other weapons in my shop. My only guess is that he's gotten dumb with his burglaries."

"Probably." I said with little conviction in my voice.

"Jo, it's not your fault." Saxon said, emphasizing each word.

"It sure feels like it. And Tigress sure seems to think so."

"I know. I overheard her. She's just angry at Severin, but seeing as he wasn't here she needed something else to be mad at. Hell, she's probably felt pent up until tonight ready to fight Severin for weeks on end. After his quick retreat, she still had energy left over."

I didn't doubt his logic. It actually made sense from Tigress's point of view, but my spirits still remained inert. Although it explained why she said it, it didn't change the fact that everything she said was true.

"I just wish I had reacted differently, or thought differently, or... Typical me though, I guess." I unwillingly looked him in the face. "Do you ever just wish you were... different?"

Saxon made a smile that I only just now realized that Jada had inherited from him. "Jo, if God wanted you to be someone different, he would've made you someone different."

I sat there, my eyes not straying from him as I took in the words he had just said. It was hands down the most uplifting thing said to me all night. Feeling myself begin to unravel I nodded smiling inside though unable to tell if it made any difference to my appearance facially.

Saxon sat up straight in his sitting position. "Now that the authorities are able to track Severin, they can probably handle it from here. Shifu wanted to head back tomorrow, but I talked him into staying one more night here. Rem Hai's Autumn festival is tomorrow afternoon and I figured it might do you all some good."

"It couldn't hurt." I said shrugging.

"Get some sleep, Jo." He heartily patted me on the shoulder. "things will be better tomorrow."

I would later find out he was right, though it would take some struggle to get there.

* * *

><p><em>Don't worry, there will be a resolution.<em>

_Thank you again for having patience with these chapter._

_BE TRUE, RE-VIEW_


	15. Ch 15 The Autumn Festival

_Hey, Everyone. I must apologize for this chapter being ridiculously late. My schedule with school became ridiculously busy. __I've just finished working backstage on two different stage plays in a row (when I'd MUCH rather be onstage) and am about to do another one when I get back from break. __The only reason I was able to finish this was because Thanksgiving break gave me some time, which I'm very thankful for. Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving yourselves!_

_PLEASE REVIEW!_

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 15  
><strong>**The Autumn Festival**

Somehow waking up the next morning had felt better than I would have expected. Images of last night crept back into my my mind in the first moments of waking up. But Saxon's words were also mixed into those memories which eased the recollections.

I had spent a good portion of the morning soaking in the tub with soap and water. After an hour of scrubbing the ending result was less than satisfying but close enough. I succeeded in getting a good portion of the dye off. It was now clear that I was a badger, though a tanned one of sorts. The streaks over my eyes were now visible but the rest of my fur still had a brownish tint to its gray state. I thought it looked terrible but there wasn't much I could do about it.

Now that Severin knew about the dye job, there seemed no point in me keeping up the disguise.

That morning Master Shifu and Saxon were discussing what they were told by one of the rhinos who were helping in the case.

Shifu said "Last we heard the authorities were chasing him along the outskirts of Rem Hai. They've probably made it to a neighboring city by now."

"Wouldn't surprise me if they nabbed him by time dinner rolls around." Saxon said.

I was hoping they were right. At the same time though it felt like such a let down, even more so than the night before when we thought he had avoided our attempt to capture him. Now it was just immensely anti-climactic. I couldn't help but feel like we failed the village. I tried to remind myself that the authorities wouldn't have found him if we hadn't brought him out into the open. We also had the Autumn Festival today to look forward to. Jada had built up the hype about it a bit. I was hoping the hype was true. We were gonna need it today.

* * *

><p>The roads got busy earlier than usual. The majority of the streets were lined with various stands. Most of them sold specialty food or souvenirs ranging from cheap knick-knacks to valuable goods. There were also a few random game booths for the younger kids. I assumed each owner must have started very early to be ready when they were.<p>

By time we were outside the festival was in full swing. I felt oddly separated from the villagers even as we mixed in amongst the crowds. I never thought I'd need to be told to have fun. Jada had said that the festival went well into the night, so we had some time to kill. She was particularly excited about the fireworks display done midway through the festival at dusk. I wondered if she was purposely trying to make everything sound exciting to get the rest of us out of the funk we were in. First thing, she and her dad went to a jewelry booth (as I had presumed). Shifu followed. Crane, Monkey and Mantis were at a food cart serving something that was steaming. Crane's wing was still bandaged and Monkey still wasn't walking well with his bruises. I hadn't talked to either of them all morning.

Po and I weren't sure where to begin. While we were trying to decide if we should join Jada at the jeweler's booth, Tigress passed by following Viper.

Po stuck his hand out stopping Tigress. She stared at him peculiarly as did I. "Well, look who's both here." Po said with a hint of fake cheeriness looking at the two of us. Neither me or Tigress said anything which lead to Po saying "Come on. While the two of you are here why don't you just make up?"

"I have nothing to say." I said firmly to Po but more for Tigress to hear.

"Neither do I." Tigress said narrowing her eyes. Her gaze had started on Po and the beginning of the statement but landed on me at its end.

"Well, you both had a lot to say last night." Po said slightly annoyed his voice growing stern.

I saw that Po wasn't going to let up on this. Knowing that he was only doing it out of the kindness of his heart sorta guilted me into the idea. But Tigress looked more resentful than I was, so I figured, I might as well make the first move.

I spoke to her though I didn't really look at her. "I admit it, I shouldn't have left the house that one time. That was stupid of me, but you can't keep holding that against me."

"I can sure try." Tigress muttered.

"Ahem," Po gave a not-so-subtle cough in Tigress's direction.

Tigress sighed through her nostrils with her eyes closed. "Fine, I suppose I lost my temper last night."

Not hearing any follow up to her statement Po leaned in saying "That's all, Tigress?" The inflection in his voice was more than a hint that he was expecting more.

Tigress simply turned to him and said "Yes, Po. **That's all**." before going to join Viper at a clothing kiosk leaving me and Po by ourselves.

_She always likes to have the final word, doesn't she?_

While I was wondering if I should say something Po began for me. "Well at least things are _kinda_ better" Po said trying to sound perky.

I shook my head smiling at Po. Though the confrontation was awkward, I DID feel a little better about it though not much had changed.

I shrugged. "I don't know why you care so much about what she thinks of me?"

"I hate to see you two fight like this." Po said honestly. As he said this I could see in his eyes that it really was a troubling sight to him. "I mean you're my best friend and she's-"

Po paused stopping mid-sentence.

"But she's what?" I asked.

Po suspiciously twiddled his thumbs avoiding my gaze. At first I had thought he couldn't think of the right word but I soon realized it wasn't that he didn't know what to say, but rather that he was withholding.

It suddenly dawned on me. "You have a crush on her don't you?"

Po's eyes widened at my remark. "Is it obvious?"

_A-ha_

"I had never noticed before." I said. "So I guess not."

"Well yeah, it's been for a while now." Po said rubbing the back of his neck. "She was my favorite of The Five before I even became the Dragon Warrior." Another thought came to Po as he squeamishly asked "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

A grin spread across my face that I could tell Po immediately found disconcerting. "Well, isn't the shoe on the other foot now?" I said to the perturbed panda. "The past few weeks all you've done is make fun of me and Jada, and now the truth comes out that you've had a crush of your own the whole time."

"Point taken" Po said accepting defeat. "But, I did help you out with her the first night here, remember?"

I had forgotten that act of kindness on his part. "Fine, you did do that."

"And for the record," Po said clarifying, "I really want you and Jada to work out."

"Really?" I said even though I shouldn't have been so shocked.

"Of course." he said as though it would be an insult to think otherwise. "I think she's good for you. The two of you... I don't know, you just go together."

"Thanks. And I think you have a chance with Tigress too."

Po said "Thanks. Have you and Jada talked about tomorrow?"

"What about tomorrow?" I asked

"Well we are going to be leaving." Po said with a portending voice.

I had tried not to think about it much, but Po was right. With nothing more we could do about Severin, we would be going back to the Valley of Peace and which meant I'd be saying good bye to Jada. "Neither of us has really mentioned it."

"Might be a good idea to talk about it." Po said.

"She did say that she and Saxon might come to the Valley of Peace for the Winter Festival."

"Think you can wait that long?" Po asked tilting his head forward.

"For her? Of course." I said smiling.

Po said "See, she IS good for you."

Po and I set off along the street checking out the different booths. Of course he insisted on checking out the concession stands first. He and I had a meal of dumplings followed with some mango pudding. He and I spent a few good hours traveling from booth to booth. After a while I found that I was enjoying myself. Especially when Jada came up saying "It's almost time. We have to get a good spot for the fireworks."

"Where would you suggest?" I asked.

"The pier." Jada responded. "We have to go or all the spots will be taken."

As I parted from Po he called out "We'll meet you guys near the pier when the fireworks end." He then gave me the thumbs up while Jada wasn't looking.

She lead me to a down the street till we came to a large wooden pier that jutted out into the lake. Multitudes of people were following the same path as us already.

"Across here." Jada said pointing to a short rope bridge, maybe 10 feet long, that connected the pier we were on with an average sized pier, like a wooden platform. Jada and I were the first across so we had our pick of spots. She pointed to all small boat in the center of the lake. "That's where they're shooting off the fireworks from."

More people started gathering around us till the platform was filled. Some people let out disgruntled noises seeing that there was no more room on the platform and had to view the show from the pier. There was no railing, so people were careful not to move about too crazily. It was a 9 foot drop to the water otherwise. Parents kept there children close at hand even though the platform wasn't so small, probably 25 square feet. Each of the four corners had tall post that supported glowing paper lanterns.

We stood impatiently, all eyes on the boat. I could just barely make out some people walking on the boat unable to tell what they were doing. I actually was anticipating seeing this a great deal. I assumed Jada was too when I felt her hand slip into mine giving it a slight squeeze. _How was I going to leave this tomorrow?_

A minute later the first one went off. _And at last I see the light._ A streamer of light shot to the sky exploding above us in a splendorous display. A few seconds after, another one. The pauses in between became shorter and shorter till several were going off at once. The colors dazzled the audience of us spectators. Young kids could be heard squealing with delight at the flashes of light and color irradiating the sky that had not grown completely dark yet. I felt a different squeeze from Jada's hand at every firework. At one point I turned to see her face illuminated by the flickering light that held her spellbound.

After the grand finale of variegated spectacle the noise slowly winded down. As Jada and I waited we both realized having the best view had come with a price. We both knew we'd be the last ones off. We waited as the crowd funneled through the small rope bridge back on to the larger pier. When the last of the people were off I crossed the swaying bridge back to the larger pier before I looked back and noticed Jada had stayed behind and was still staring at the twilight, her figure silhouetted before the sky with a dying glow of orange low in the horizon. It really was remarkable, how calm the world seemed. _It's like the sky is new._

Po and the rest of the masters appeared out of the crowd next to me and I called back to Jada though I hated to tear her away from such a beautiful sight.

As she turned her head toward me, suddenly with out warning, a second, much taller sillouette had appeared behind Jada, having seemingly climbed up from underneath the platform.

I noticed easily by the horn-like ears I had come to fear. Before Jada knew what was happening Severin had lashed an arm around her neck pulling her forcefully toward him.

The Masters had seen him too and quickly went to cross the bridge but were halted at Severin shouting "STOP or I'll snap her neck!"

That brought each of us to a halt. The crowd that had previously been spectators on the platform now gathered again, several trying to figure out what was going on.

_How long had he been under the pier waiting for his chance to strike?_

"Don't involve the girl, Severin!" Shifu shouted out trying not to show too much supplication in the face of an enemy.

The rest of us looked on restrained by our own minds, unsure of what move to make. He reached into his pocket and withdrew my obsidian dagger and held it to her throat. "How about that? Killing her with the same knife that killed my master. It's only fair."

_That's why he wanted my knife._

Jada looking terrified beyond words pressing tirelessly against Severin's muscular arms. Jada looked toward us from his grip, her eyes were pleading.

Saxon appeared next to us having fought his way through the crowd of people. He looked as though he would tear the pier apart if it meant getting to his daughter. "If you so much as make a cut on her!...

"What I do to her is not up to you." Severin said darkly. "It's up to him." he turned his gaze toward me with such force I'm surprised I didn't fall over. "I want YOU on THIS side or I'll KILL her."

_**The Wolverine: When the time comes don't think. act**_

Before he had finished speaking my mind had gone from absolute irresolute suddenly overcome with full undesired certainty. I began to step closer to the bridge when I felt Shifu's hand grab my shoulder. "Jo, what are you doing?"

"You heard him," I said as though it were obvious moving my shoulder out from under his grip.

"Jo, stop and think for a second!" Tigress exclaimed.

"NOWS NOT THE TIME TO THINK!" I shouted back.

"He wants to kill you." Monkey said.

"Don't you think I know that?" I said beginning to turn back around.

Po began to intercede but stopped. I only stared up at him helplessly and knew that he was reading me. He sighed heavily, both of us aware that he could say nothing that would change the situation. He simply said "Be safe, Jo."

I glanced back at Severin who was still holding Jada, his patience visibly wearing thin.

I said blankly. "I don't think that's possible."

Praying those wouldn't be my last words to my best friend, I turned and crossed over to the other side.

* * *

><p><em>Don't give me that look! You should have known something like this was coming.<em>

_Well, I apologize anyway. __I know I made yall wait a long time just to give you a cliffhanger._

_For those of you who picked up on it, yes, the phrases "At last I see the light" and "It's like the sky is new" are both references to the song **I See the Light. **A beautiful love song that I felt was a fitting reference._

_I'm going to try to be much quicker on the other chapters. Thank you all again for begin patient and continuing to read my story._

_I hope you don't hate me too much. If you do, why not let it out in a review?_


	16. Ch 16 Severity

_"Everyone has an angel; a guardian who watches over us. We can't know what form they'll take: one day, old man; next day, little girl. But don't let appearances fool you - they can be as fierce as any dragon. But they're not here to fight our battles, but to whisper from our hearts, reminding that it's us... it's everyone of us who holds the power over the worlds we create."  
><em>_-Suckerpunch: Zach Snyder_

_With The Next Dragon Warrior, it was ch. 27 Tai and I  
><em>_With Making the Cut it was ch. 9 The Face-Off at Keen Lee Academy  
><em>_But **this** was my hardest chapter of this story._

_There wasn't a chapter I worked on that I wasn't also working on this one._

_I really hope it shows!  
>Thank you all for sticking with this story.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 16  
><strong>**Severity**

I was out matched, there was no denying it and no use trying to convince myself otherwise. I could say that good always triumphs over evil, size doesn't matter, that I believe in myself, or any words of Wisdom that Po or Master Shifu would say, but none of it would change the fact that I was a 13 year old badger and he was a lynx in his mid 20's

I knew it the second I crossed over

Once I walked onto the center of the pier he circled around me, still holding Jada tightly dragging her with him. He stopped at the rope bridge. Swinging my knife away from Jada for a second, he sliced the ropes to the bridge letting it fall along with it, any chance of escape or intervention. The mass of wood and rope clattered against the supports of the other pier hanging lifelessly on the opposing side.

_There goes my thread of hope._

He threw Jada to the ground beside him and her body went limp. I prayed that she was only unconscious. He walked away from where she lay, now uninterested in her. He tossed my knife back across the 10 foot gap onto the pier where the Masters and the massive crowd of onlookers stood. He looked in the crowds direction and shouted "I'll kill the girl with my bare hands if anyone tries to make it over. Or fly over" He added with a leer toward Crane, not that Crane would be able to fly with his wing.

Now the lynx turned toward me, with a face that was shockingly neutral. Honest.

_It's all come to this._

Then he spoke. "You know, when Quiang told me that Master Lee and Montenegro's murderer was a badger who was barely a teenager, I was nearly sick to my stomach. It's practically an insult to their legacy."

As he stepped closer I kept my distance from him, but I couldn't imagine why. Hadn't I known this would happen? The second my knife penetrated Keen Lee, I might as well have sold my soul to the devil. The second I did it, I belonged to Severin.

And he knew it, of course he knew. How could he not?

I looked up at him, my eyes trying to put forth some ounce of defiance. He smiled sardonically and I knew it wasn't working. "It's interesting isn't it?" he said beginning to raise an eyebrow. "We've never met and yet we know so much about each other."

_He was right._

In just the brief amount of time I'd heard of him and even shorter amount of time knowing him, he had become my worst enemy and everything that terrified me.

"Quiang told me all I needed to know about you. Told me about how you killed our masters. Look around." He gestured to the rest of the platform. "No throwing star, no knife. You never really did it on you own. You always had help. You think either one of my masters would have needed help killing you?" He circled closer till he was so close I could smell his scent. "Do you think **I'd** need help killing you?"

Barely able to speak I uttered "Maybe."

That "Maybe" got me a punch right to the face. I didn't see his fist coming. It seemed to have materialized inches from my face. He had it ready to deliver at the first sign of my answer being anything but "No."

_Suckerpunch_

I staggered backwards but found myself in his grip again as he grabbed me by the fur of my chest _just like Keen did_. "You just got lucky then."_..._

_Master Shifu: If luck was on your side, I think that makes you pretty special._

...he stated before throwing me to the ground with surprising force. I landed on my shoulder. Thankfully it was my left shoulder but that didn't make it any less painful.

For someone who wants to kill me, he sure isn't doing it. I'd seen him attack with much more ferocity with Monkey. He said he'd snap Jada's neck. Why wasn't he just doing that with me?

_He wants to prolong it._

He wouldn't deign to show mercy. He wants it to last as long as he could muster. He'd only be satisfied as long as he saw me suffering. _Why end appeasement when you could delay it? _I was with a warrior that hurt others and planned carefully because nothing would satisfy him more than to see me in pain.

As I started to sit up, my stoical stance getting harder to continue, he walked over to me and pulled me up to him again, this time grabbing me by my head. Clawing into the hairs of my scalp he yanked my head backwards forcing me, cringing, to look him in the eyes, his stark gray eyes. "I want you to understand why this is happening to you." he hissed. "Because you had to play the vigilante. You should have just stayed out of it. Your masters and friends might have been dead, but the world would have been better for it."

He believed it, everything he said. He wasn't trying to convince me of something he knew to be false. He believed it. His masters were gone, the people who had raised him and taught him every maneuver in his cutthroat mindset,

and it was because of me.

He thrusted me out of his grip and spun around kicking me across the face before I could even regain my balance. I stumbled backwards and spat on the ground. It was an even mixture of saliva and blood, the pier's wood absorbing the stain in its riveted grain.

"Was saving them worth it?" he asked.

As I wiped my mouth, I wondered if there was any way that the masters could toss me my knife. But I knew they wouldn't, thinking of Severin getting a hold of the knife before I could reach it.

The Masters

It was the first time I had thought of them since I walked onto the platform. The other pier had been silent as a graveyard. _What were they thinking?_ Was Po biting his nails? Was Shifu looking on with his look of solemnity that he had in times of grave crisis? And Saxon, Was he anywhere near as worried for me as he was when he saw Jada in danger?

Jada

_God, please let her get out of this._

"Well, was it worth it?" he repeated as he

gave me a swift kick to one of my legs

I couldn't help but think it looked rather childish, kicking someone when there already writhing on the ground. Again, I thought about how vicious he had been with Monkey and knew if he actually went all out I would be dead already.

My agony was progressing to a never-reaching crescendo, fueled even more by his tepid reaction. I lifted my head and saw him just staring at me. He was waiting for me to get up. He wanted to see me make an effort that we both knew would be pointless. Even though I knew it wouldn't happen, I wanted to just lie there. Have him finish me off.

Was I really so at peace with dying?  
><em>Why?<em>  
>I never imagined I would be. I had often been told stories of great fallen warriors that accepted death in the heat of battle, but I was never able to fully wrap my head around it.<br>Was it just knowing that Jada would be safe in the end or was it something else?

Maybe my mind was just done, rejoicing in the fact that it would never have to worry again.

I began to sit up again, this painful act seeming redundant, seeing Severin still looking at me with his tilted eyes. Somehow I saw nothing but him. We might have been in a field or in the training hall for all I knew.

_Silence_

I could hear him blink as the folds of the skin on his eyelids wrinkled, closed, and separated.  
>I stared at him, his expression, the way he held himself, and I understood. I had gotten to that point like Po had said.<br>I was reading him.

He seemed to say

_**The second you're down and don't get up I'll kill her. I'll do it right in front of your eyes. I have nothing against this girl. I don't even know her. It's simply because I know she's important to you. You killed my masters while I wasn't there to save them. Now I'm going to kill her while you're here to see it but can't save her.**_

_**You are sacrificing yourself and saving NO ONE.**_

Is this what it's like for Po when he reads me? Was this inner peace, or am I going more delirious than I thought? I had a strong leaning toward the latter. No matter which one was true though I took his iconoclastic motives seriously. I couldn't go down with Jada so vulnerable.

_Jada Zadora: Do you ever get scared_

_Jo Crevan: As long as I'm breathing..._

_What happens when I stop?_

Putting as much strength in it as I could, I went to punch him square in the chest. Before I could make any contact though, Severin intercepted it by grabbing onto my wrist in his tight muscular hold. Looking at me rather amused he said "Now don't tell me that was you actually trying."

He quickly yanked me by my arm jerking me suddenly toward him till his extended knee brought me to an abrupt stop against my stomach.

I let out a groan of agony and he tossed me back down. As I lay there I couldn't remember what a life without pain was like. I knew he must be looking down on me again, relishing in my ignominious fate. My acceptance of death from a few seconds ago had evaporated, I was now terrified again of the idea, but not an ounce of hope had been added.

_God, __Please don't let this be it.__..._

I remembered saying that exact phrase the night the Valley was evacuating for the second time.

_Must I have an audience for my death to see how pathetic I am?  
><em>_Is this really the fate of the Next Dragon Warrior?_

I looked over at Jada. She hadn't moved from her position.

I saw Po. As I had guessed he looked beyond worried, well past nail-biting and having worked his way up to silently praying. I wanted to be able to read him as well, but at the same time I didn't. It would just tell me the details of his anxiety, and that was the last thing I needed. But all I wanted to picture was his looks of encouragement. Like when he and I talked about Jada, or helped me dye my fur, or when he was teaching me new moves in training-

_Our last Lesson?_

While the idea was still forming in my head I began to crawl to the edge of the platform.

"Where can you go?" Severin said tauntingly. He was standing close to the edge and I prayed that he would stay there. Thankfully he remained, still not seeing any threat in me.

When I got as far as I could I once again shakily stood my eyes narrowing at him. Gritting my teeth through the pain I ran full force at him.

Severin apparently thought I was trying to run at him with another punch so he began to make a low block, accommodating to my comparative height, but at my moment of closing in I jumped snapping my foot out catching him right under his chin. The abrupt strike sent his gaze toward to the sky, knocking him backwards and off the edge of the platform.

_Done_

I stood breathing for a second not fully believing it was over before I remembered Jada. I quickly ran back to her, as fast as I could with my slight limp.

I shook her gently. "Jada, Jada wake up." Her eyes fluttered open as she lifted a hand to her head starting to sit up. "Jo?" she said weakly.

I began to help her to stand up. "Jada, are you-" I stopped as a bit of movement caught my eye.

_**1 second**_

A soaking wet spotted paw surfaced from the edge of the platform just five feet away from us clawing into the wood for traction.

Severin had simply waded through the water and climbed up the pier supports to get back to us.

_Why the HELL did you think knocking him off the pier would make a difference?! _

_It's how he got Jada in the first place, wasn't it? He had been waiting under the pier to make his move and now he had done it again._

_**2 seconds**_

As his head came up I saw the fury in his eyes. No longer did they just want to draw out the pain. He wanted death  
>He wanted blood.<br>My blood.

The moment he had a footing, he leapt. As he leapt toward me ready to kill, a time I'm told that your life is suppose to flash before your eyes, it was at that precise instant, that I saw-

_**3 seconds**_

-the eyes of the wolverine.

In the crowd of onlookers, by some chance, instead of my eyes landing on Po again or Shifu, or any random person, they had fallen on the wolverine.

I don't know how, maybe my subconscious mind and body took over, I doubt I'd ever be able to explain it but I knew.  
>I just knew.<p>

_Po: If it is important I'm sure it will reveal itself to you when the time is right. Dreams have a way of doing that._

I shot my hand out and with just the tip of my finger I struck Severin in the center of his upper chest.  
><em>Where the wolverine always pointed on himself first.<em>

Severin seemed to slow down in mid air.  
>Or maybe time slowed down.<br>Or maybe I sped up.

From my touch a ring appeared to expand as though I just created a ripple in glowing water across his body. With the growth of its expansion to the farthest points of his body it seemed to disable each segment as it reached them.

I saw Severin's expression. Completely dumbfounded. It seemed to say "How?" Following his smug assuredness, nothing made me happier than to see that expression.

Then I made the 2nd strike just below his navel right where the center of the Wolverines first circle always was.  
>3rd strike to the left above the navel.<br>4th strike to the right side.  
><em>In the same order the wolverine did.<em>

Each of the last three touches generated their own expanding circles. For an instant the the 3 ripples created the 3 circles I had seen on the wolverine's stomach. With one final strike I struck the center overlap of the circles which seemed to absorb them all in a brilliant flash. After that he had no expression at all.

_**4 seconds**_

Severin Cai hit the ground like a sack of flour, in both sound and liveliness.

He was still.

I saw a breath inflate his nostrils but otherwise saw no other signs of life in him. He might have been sleeping. He looked oddly peaceful, the last word I would have ever associated with him.

An eruption of applause resounded from the pier.

_Oh right. There's people_

I felt Jada next to me. Having gone through a whirlwind of elevated emotion in such a brief amount of time, she looked at me in grateful confusion.

Before she could think of what to say, I brought her close to me. Clutching her head I kissed her on the forehead so happy she was okay, feeling her heavy breathing rifled through my fur.

"Jo!" Po called out on the other side. He had pulled up the dangling bridge. "Catch!" Po threw the end ropes of the bridge and I grabbed onto it. After making absolutely certain that the rope was tied tightly to platform me and Jada crossed back to the larger pier gracious to be surrounded by people.

_I had spent a lifetime on that platform_

Jada had barely set foot on the pier when Saxon ran to her and held her tighter than I had just done. I may have even seen a tear of relief clinging to his white fur. I hadn't had time to notice as I felt Po scoop me up into a hug lifting me off the ground. "Jo, that was amazing!"

"Still bruised, Po" I said wincing against his embrace.

"Sorry," Po said apologetically letting me down as Shifu appeared next to me and asked "Jo, who taught you?" his voice alive with astounded curiosity.

"Taught me what?" I asked confused.

"The pentad strike." Po and Shifu said together.

"The pressure point move Oogway used to defeat Tai Lung." Po added clarifying.

I stared at them both unbelievingly then back at Severin's body lying motionless on the platform.

_Was I really just there?  
><em>Could it have been?

My eyes darted around looking for the Wolverine but no longer saw him anywhere in the crowd.  
>The wolverine,<br>He had armed me.  
>He had given me the protection.<p>

_But why?_

I looked back at them still curious of my answer

"I'm not entirely sure."

* * *

><p><em>Remember when they talked about the strike in the first chapter? I spent quite a bit of time watching the move that Oogway stopped Tai Lung with and realized that it created the 3 interlinked rings. I decided to give it the name pentad as there were 5 strikes (the prefix <em>_penta__ means 5)._

_I apologize for making yall wait so long for this chapter, like most climatic chapters, I wanted it to be perfect. I hope it was._

_Two more chapters left!_


	17. Ch 17 Eye to Eyes

_"We can deny our angels exist, convince ourselves they can't be real, but they show up anyway - at strange places and at strange times. They can speak through any character we can imagine. They'll shout through demons if they have to... daring us... challenging us to fight."  
><em>_-Suckerpunch: Zach Snyder_

_Hello, my readers. __I tried to get this one out quicker than the last one. __  
><em>

_Ok here's the big one people. Be prepared for a lot of explanation. I hope most of it comes as a surprise to you._

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<br>****Chapter 17  
><strong>**Eye to Eyes**

Not long after, the authorities arrived, too little too late obviously. They took the still seemingly-lifeless form of Severin locked him in chains and carted him away in a barred carriage. It's destination was Chor Gom prison. The guards said he'd be put under the same fortitude that Tai Lung had been. I was hoping it was stronger than that.

Once I had time to think I was able to take note of my body which had faired better than I would have hoped for. Other than my slight limp, my injuries consisted of a round of bruises and a pain in my stomach that I knew would subside.

The onlookers from the crowds that had seen the whole thing were enraptured, acting like it was the best show they had ever seen. They obviously had never seen Po or the Furious Five in action before. I got more back-pats than I could count, mostly from people who didn't know me. Even Tigress gave me a deferential smile. Somehow without words spoken I knew it was good between us again. Saxon had taken Jada back to the house for her to rest some, obviously overcome by the ordeal.

Finally Po presented me with my obsidian dagger again, not a single nick or blemish on it as always. As I placed it on my hip again Po said "Well look at that, Severin's gone and the Festival is still young in the evening. Now this night feels like a celebration."

"If you don't mind, Po, I'd like to try and walk off this limp," I said. "just for a bit." I added.

"In that case," Po said didgging into his pocket and pulling out Severin's medal "Would you mind taking this to the boarding house. Since Severin is now taken in, Shifu thought it was only right to leave his medal with the people where he lost it. Maybe it IS worth something. Speaking of Shifu, you know he's gonna wanna ask you more about the Pentad strike later."

"Of Course," I said, still not sure what I would tell Master Shifu later. I took the medal from Po's hand and said "I'll take this to the boarding house and meet you back by the spiced bun hut in about 30 minutes."

Po nodded and I was off on a slow trot to the boarding house receiving a few curious looks from passersby who had seen the fight on the way.

I walked up to the stoop of the building, wondering if it would be Miss Shea or her husband I would give the good news to, but when the door opened I was face to face with the Wolverine.

Like facing a distorted mirror both our eyes widened and we simultaneously said "You!?"

He paused looking me over before saying "Xanidor? It **is** you isn't it."

"Yes," I answered peculiarly having only heard his voice for the second time.

"How do you remember me?" he asked.

"I've seen you, everywhere, for the past several months." I blurted out not caring how incredibly insane I sounded. "And I saw you the last night I saw my parents. Who are you?"

"Zarek Alvarez," he answered firmly. "I'm the owner of this boarding house." he glanced back into the home and said to me "Would you mind coming inside?"

I walked inside and he lead me to the sitting room I had been in a week or two before with the Masters.

As I sat down in an easy chair he sat down opposite me saying "Can you elaborate a little. You've 'been seeing me everywhere'?"

Not feeling any other way, I dove right in. I proceeded to tell him about the last several months. The night last June when I saw him in the darkness, I went on to explain that I was a student of Master Shifu and that we were in Rem Hai on a mission where I continued to see him more frequently. I finally came to the glowing circles he would draw on his stomach that turned out to be directions to the pentad strike that eventually saved my life.

By the time I got all that out, I was out of breath and beginning to wonder if the wolverine, that I now knew as Zarek, thought I was from a mental establishment.

But he just smiled tautly and said "It was Master Oogway."

"You knew Master Oogway?" I asked amazed.

"Yes, I met Master Oogway long ago. He didn't teach me kung fu though. He taught me peace, a large part of kung fu." With a look of pained recollection he disclosed more. "For a good portion of my early life, I had suffered from a restless spirit within me. It took hold of me constantly, bedeviling me like a cold fever. My parents had heard of Oogway and his amazing feats of body and mind. They suggested I seek his guidance. When I was about 20 I ventured to the Valley of Peace and told him my predicament. I can't explain everything but, what ever he did worked. I went on living my life. I was able to become more sociable again as a result, and that was when I met... your parents."

"You knew them too?" I asked.

"We were neighbors, friends for quite some time. But then your parents became mixed up in a rather nasty business. A business that they liked a little too much and realized they could make quite a profit with. My house at the time was next door to yours. At nights I would hear shouting and screaming. Once or twice I would hear a child's cries... yours. I knew a child wasn't safe in that house. I had actually fully planned on telling your parents that I would take you in and look after you, but before I could they were...

"You were there that night. The night they were arrested." I also couldn't help but think, _he wanted to take me in_? I nearly ended up having a whole different foster home than what I had.

He nodded. "Yes, as they were taking them away, I saw them bring you out of the house. You were so small then, so fragile looking." I could tell he was looking at me still trying to connect that I was the same person he saw then. "I almost went up to the guards but I overheard them talking about taking you to the Valley of Peace. I knew you'd be safer there than anywhere else."

"But then how did you start showing up to me. Why did you suddenly want to make contact with me?" I asked.

"To let you know that you were in danger. That you were being sought out by Severin Cai."

My eyes widened. "How did you know that?" I asked leaning forward in my seat on the couch.

He chuckled again. "To tell you that, I must again go back a ways."

I settled back down in my seat again. _This is a lot of explanation._ Though I suppose I should have suspected it after the amount of information I gave him at the beginning.

"In spring of this year I met a woman. She showed a lot of interest in me and I have to say, I was quite smitten with her as well. We spent alot of time together and I was very happy with her. She often talked about the idea of us moving to a bigger city, with more opportunities. For a while it seemed like wishful thinking, but the idea began to grow on me. It wasn't until the summer that she informed me that she had been married the entire time during our encounters, and that earlier that day, she had walked out on her husband. I was astounded. The entire time we had been together I had no idea. I told her I couldn't be part of something that split apart a family. She was angry didn't care what I said. She said she'd been unhappy for a while, feeling held back by her own family and that if I wouldn't go with her she'd move on to another city by herself. I haven't seen Liann since."

_Saxon's wife.  
><em>I had to fight the urge to show any shock at recognizing the name.  
>So that's why Liann left. Zarek was 'the other man,' that Jada and Saxon had heard about.<br>He's been at the center of my story the entire time, even when I didn't know it.

"Once she left, I felt as though the restless spirit was returning to me. My anxiety began to build. I was responsible for the break up of this family I didn't even know and I could only imagine how it was affecting them. I had to seek Master Oogway's council again. I knew he was passed on but I thought there might be another way. I knew of his students, Master Lee and Montenegro though. I thought maybe one of them might be able to help me. I traveled to the Black Mountains hoping to find Valko, but what I found was that mere hours before I arrived he had been killed and his apprentice had been placed in custody. Desperate at this point for information I visited the apprentice, a crane named Quiang, in jail. He told of all that happened in the weeks prior. How they had captured Master Shifu and his students, and how a pupil taught under the guide of of Shifu had killed both Lee and Montenegro. When he told me that this warrior was a badger, I couldn't help but think 'Was this the badger that I saw 10 years ago? Was the child reared by these drug dealers the same one that was now a kung fu student known as the second Dragon Warrior?' After all, I have never met any other badgers. He told me the badger was in his early teens. The timing would have worked out perfectly.

"He then told me that there was another student of the two masters that was not present at either school at the time their deaths who was bound to find out about it and even more likely to hunt down the murderer of his masters. Then I was worried but for a different reason entirely. That very same night, before I went to sleep I wondered if Oogway would speak to me from... his place now. He somehow conveyed to me that I was to reach you through him."

His words about Oogway's nocturnal messages echoed what I'd heard the Masters say of his conveyance; He was never specific but you always got the gist in the end. I knew it must really be hard to explain. I myself still couldn't explain how I knew right then and there to perform the pentad strike. I didn't even know that's what I was being subconsciously taught."

"It worked." I said. "That touch technique that eventually stopped Severin was the Pentad Strike."

He chuckled humbly in his seat. "Forgive me, my kung fu knowledge is a bit rusty. Is that a move I should know?"

"It's the move that Master Oogway used to defeat Tai Lung, the snow leopard that that turned against him. Oogway was the only one who knew it though. The strike has been lost... until now." I said suddenly realizing, The pentad strike is known again. It can live on.

"That must be it." Zarek said. "I wanted you to be safe. Oogway's spirit did the rest. I see. Oogway was somehow able to convey his own thought through my image."

"He visits all he shared knowledge with in their dreams," I said remembering this to be the very method at how Oogway conveyed to the Masters that I was the next Dragon Warrior."

Zarek continued "Every so often I would close my eyes and try to speak to you through Oogway. You may think it rather stupid of me, but early on when I wasn't sure if I was reaching you or not, I actually went to a fortune teller down the street and told her of my dilemma to see if she could help me reach you. As I should have anticipated, she was of no help to me."

_THAT'S how she knew there was a wolverine who sought a connection with me. It wasn't her prediction, he had told her. No doubt, she had never met another badger besides me and only assumed I was the same badger he mentioned to her._

"If you don't mind me saying, your fur is darker than I would have thought for a badger."

"It's dyed." I said looking at the faded results of my original disguise. "We dyed it brown so Severin wouldn't know it was me as a bearcat. I washed half of it off once he found out who I was though. That's why it looks like this."

"That makes sense." Zarek said. "Two of the residents said there was a bearcat when Master Shifu and his students came by for the questioning. I assume that was you. I suppose even if I had been here I wouldn't have recognized you in your fur job.

_That WAS him I saw on the sidewalk that day I came back from the stone shop with Jada. He didn't react to me because he didn't recognize me._

I was beginning to be overwhelmed with how much sense had been made of the past several weeks in just a short amount of time, but there was one piece of knowledge I hadn't heard him draw upon.

I fidgeted "There is something I wanted to ask."

"What is it that you want to know?" he said resting his elbows on his knees.

"I'm not sure if it's something I want to know." I admitted he looked at me strangely. "Where are my parents now?" I said barely able to get the words out

Zarek sighed heavily. "I wish I knew. They could still be in prison. They could have gotten out and reformed. They could still be selling. I haven't seen them since that night."

I eased down into my seat not realizing I had tensed up in anticipation to his answer. "I guess it's for the best. I don't know that I'd want to see them." I looked down at the floor while Zarek still looked me over.

After a brief moment he cleared his throat and said "Xanidor, I don't know that you even think about your parents often. They may barely cross your mind for all I know. But I want you to understand something. Your parents used to be upright, civilized people. They just got misguided along the way."

"I remember their 'misguidedness'." I said flatly as looked back at him.

"I was wondering how much you remembered." he said. "You were of course very young. I don't think they had expected you."

I fiddled with a frayed edge of the sofa's fabric to counter my strangely numb state of self. "I figured. why would two decently successful drug dealers suddenly decide 'Let's have a kid and then treat him like crap.'" I sighed looking away from him. "I was just an accident."

"Xanidor, there are no accidents."

I recognized what I often thought of as Master Oogway's trademark words. _He really was taught by him, wasn't he?_

"You can't be mad at them forever." Zarek said.

"I can sure try." I said remembering Tigress and me having the same exchange of words just this morning.

"I understand." Zarek said perceptively. "It's hard to let go of something that's become almost an innate trait, especially if you've had years of it boiling up inside you, but you can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one. Holding on to anger is like holding on to a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at the person you're angry at; you are the one who gets burned." He looked me over again thoughtfully. "Maybe there's another reason we were brought together."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Sometimes focusing on others is what we need to solve our own problems. I went to see Valko to relieve my restlessness, but haven't felt it since then, since I started trying to help you. Thank you, Xanidor. Maybe it really is gone. Maybe Master Oogway helped me again. But will you promise me you will try to forgive your parents."

I sighed thinking it over. I looked him in the eyes, the eyes I had at first feared and then came know as a watchful guardian. The eyes that had followed me through this entire ordeal. "For you I'll try, but not for them. I mean you did save me after all."

Suddenly remembering the reason I came here, I pulled Severin's medal out of my pocket. "This is the medal one of your residents pulled off Severin when he broke in here. Master Shifu saw it best that I return it here. Where he lost it."

I handed it over to him and he looked it over in his paw. "I suppose that seems about right. Not much use he'll have of it in prison."

"Thank you again, Mr. Alvarez." I said.

"Thank you too, Xanidor." he said.

We both stood and he followed me to the door to walk me out but once I reached the doorway I turned back around facing him and he seemed slightly surprised by my sudden motion. "Just so you know, I go by another name now. It's Jo." I don't know why I said this to him. But for some reason it felt important to me that I let him know this one last thing about me.

Zarek, simply smiled and said "It suits you." before I walked out and he closed the door.

I stood there on the stoup while partakers in the festival roamed the street, not taking notice of any of them, not fully realizing where I was or even how I was feeling. All I felt was... light. A feeling of lightness. And I didn't even know how to respond to it.

"Hey, Jo! How'd the exchange go?" I looked up seeing Po on the sidewalk walking toward the boarding house. Something on my face must have read unusually to him because he asked "Hey, what's up?"

I grinned. "Are you ready this story, Po?"

* * *

><p><em>Does that satisfy you? I hope it does. A lot fo it was planned from the very beginning.<em>

_One last chapter!_

_Stay tuned for the final conclusion soon._

_BE TRUE, RE-VIEW_

_Tell me what you think of this chapter._


	18. Ch 18 Forgiveness

_Well here it is folks. The last chapter of The Eyes of the Wolverine._

_This story has been my longest to get out and I'm very pleased with how it turned out._

* * *

><p><strong>The Eyes of the Wolverine<strong>  
><strong>Chapter 18<strong>  
><strong>Forgiveness<strong>

We had gathered all our belongings the night before to be ready for the coach the next day. By 10 the next morning we had our baggage in hand just outside of Saxon's house. Several citizens of Rem Hai were still cleaning the streets and taking down the decorations from the festival. The Five had hurried ahead of the ret of us to where the coach would be to take us back to the Valley of Peace.

As Saxon saw us out Shifu said "Saxon, I can't thank you enough for being our host during this entire ordeal."

Saxon smiled ebulliently. "Shifu, thank **you** **all** for risking your lives to stop Severin. Our city is now at peace. If you're ever in Rem Hai again, don't be a stranger, old friend."

Shifu shook Saxon's hand somehow heartier than he had the day we arrived. He and Po turned to go meet the Five down the road.

Saxon watched Shifu walk away for a second before he turned this attention toward me. He and I hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk since the festival. I started to say something when I felt his hand on my shoulder, his other hand fighting for a gesture in front of him. "Jo, I can't even express... thank you... for keeping her safe." Even if I couldn't feel the heavy grip he had on my shoulder, I could still tell his sincerity by every word he said, or wanted to say.

I replied. "I barely knew what I was doing when I crossed. I just saw him have her and I... reacted."

Saxon beamed with admiration. "That's how I know you two are right for eachother" He began to ease back down into himself before saying "Well, you sure have given this town a good story to remember. I'm sure it will be passed around for decades. I doubt the winter festival is going to be nearly as exciting."

Jada appeared in the doorway "Ok, dad, you've had him long enough." she joked.

"Well, I'll let you two have your moment." Saxon said backing away.

Jada was looking much better since the ordeal and had her usual ease back in her voice. As she stepped closer she commented "Your fur's almost back to normal, I see."

"Yeah, another bath and it should be gray again." I said noticing the chestnut shade fading from my coat. She ran a finger through the fur on my arm and said "Just the way I like it."

I smiled a laugh. "You and your dad are still coming to the Valley of Peace for the Winter Festival right?"

"Of course. I still want that good sale on your parent's stones" she said giving a friendly reminder.

"Naturally," I said.

"Send me letters." she said as if I could forget to.

"Only if you write back and also... can I ask you to try something?"

"Sure, What?" Jada said wondering.

I tried to look at her earnestly knowing what I might say might seem out of the ordinary. I had been wondering how exactly I would ask her. "Forgive your mother."

Jada looked at me strangely, though thankfully not with any misgiving. "What?"

"I know what she did was bad." I said. "I'm not taking that into question, but still, if the anger you're holding against her isn't getting you anywhere, maybe you oughta let it go."

At saying this I could tell that this wasn't something that she would consider normally so I continued to say "Forgiveness doesn't excuse her behavior. It prevents it from hurting you more." A quote I had gotten from Po the night before when I finally told him the whole story of the wolverine, this one was courtesy of one of the Sacred Scrolls.

I saw that saying this had helped, as she began to think it over more before saying "Does this mean... you with your parents?"

I nodded. "I'm slowly getting there myself. I understand if it takes a while for you too."

She smiled and I asked "Does this mean you'll try?"

"I'll try." she said. She leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek smiling demurely and I couldn't believe I was about to leave this.

"Jo," Po called at a distance down the street beckoning me. I was glad he hadn't truncated us a moment earlier.

"I'll see you soon." I said pulling her close to me one last time. When she and I released I forced myself to look toward Po and not at what I was leaving behind.

Once I caught up with Po, we began walking further down the road to where we would meet the coach. As I walked along side him he asked with a laugh "So what are you going to tell your parents this time around?"

"The truth," I said with a smirk. "There was an enemy, we stopped him, he's in jail now."

"That's a pretty abridged version of the truth." Po remarked smiling. "Not gonna even mention that this enemy's main goal was to off you?"

"No sense in having them worry over a problem that's been solved. Didn't you tell your dad a similar thing when you came back after defeating Lord Shen?"

Po chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose I did. And I guess it is true; the Severin dilemma is over. Thanks to you." he added with a wink and elbow nudge toward me.

"More like 'thanks to the pentad strike'." I muttered.

"What do you mean by that?" Po asked.

A thought had been growing in my mind since the other night when Severin dissected my history he had heard second-hand. A thought that I found was inescapable with all the congratulations I was getting. "Po, does it really count?"

"Does what count?" Po asked.

I sighed. "You heard what Severin said. I never really did it on my own. None of them. Stabbing Keen Lee, the shurikin with Montenegro, and now the Pentad Strike. It was never really me. Does any of it count?"

"Of course it does." Po said nonplussed by my statement as if I had just asked him if he was really a panda. "Because you used what you had. That was one of the biggest principles of panda style when I first taught you. Resourcefulness, quick-thinking. It's something you're still good at, and it's something that has saved your life more than once. What else could you want?" He gave me a mock shove though I wasn't as receptive to it as I normally would be. "I know, Po, but it's not like I knocked Severin out by sheer force-"

Po cut me off. "Jo, you've heard Shifu say over and over ho physical fighting is only a small part of the grand design of kung fu. There's also intelligence, something Severin could have used more of."

"He sure seemed smart," I said. I mean Severin was the guy that thwarted our attempted abduction, and managed to allude the cities enforcements making it back to festival. The guy was clearly smart to some degree.

"And he was," Po admitted. Even he couldn't deny an opponent's cunning. "But not where it counted, otherwise he wouldn't have been using kung fu for terrorizing a village, seeking revenge, and murder."

Po saw that I still wasn't fully convinced so he went on "Jo, don't you think on it for a moment. The second you believe something bad that someone said about you, you let them win. Don't let him have that over you, because if it's not any help to you it's not worth setting yourself back for them."

"Thanks, Po." I said looking up at his height which I had grown closer to in the last two years, even if it was just by the slightest bit.

"That's what I'm here for." he said patting me on the back. "It's too bad we have to leave. I suppose you'll see Jada in a month though."

"If I can wait that long." I said already missing her.

"But it will be so worth it, won't it buddy?"

"Yeah," I said with a smile. "Besides, the Valley will need us again soon enough."

"Wouldn't be surprised if Fung and his cronies are planning a raid as we speak." Po said cracking his knuckles the way he does before preparing for a brawl.

"Oh, joy." I said sarcastically. As I said this, we passed by the boarding house, and who should be on the front stoop but Zarek Alvarez. I caught his eye and he gave a small wave to me. I returned it wondering if I'd see him in my dreams tonight. I found that I would miss his watchful eyes, though somehow I knew they would always be present, even if I couldn't see them. It was amazing what had changed since I first saw him, all the events that had happened, how I now saw him, how he had helped me in more ways than once. Just deciding that I would forgive my parents already came with a feeling of lightness. That in itself felt like a promise of more good to come. Returning to my last statement to Po I said "Who knows what could happen once we return."

"What ever comes, shouldn't be too hard for you." Po smirked in my direction. "What could be hard compared to defeating a guy who was undefeated?"

* * *

><p><em>"And finally this question, the mystery of who's story it will be... of who draws the curtain... who is it that chooses out steps in the dance... who drives us mad, lashes us with whips and crowns us with victory when we survive the impossible... who is it that tells all things? Who honors those we love with the very life we live? Who sends monsters to kill us and at the same time, stay with it and we'll never die? Who teaches us what's real and how to laugh at lies? Who decides why we live and what we'll die to defend? Who chains us and who holds the key that could set us free?<em>

_It's you._

_You have all the weapons you need. Now, fight!"_

__-Suckerpunch: Zach Snyder__

_I feel I've come a long ways since joining this site back in 2009 and seeing as how before I don't think I could have written something nearly as long as my 3 main stories about Jo, it gives me a knew perspective on my writing abilities for the future. As cliche as it sounds, Jo is a piece of me in my writing and expanding his story into story into his coming of age has been alot of work with alot reward in the end._

_As always, I have to thank Hiddenstranger. Thanks for your constant help and suggestions and reviews on this fic. I've considered you a best friend of mine for a while now, you usually make my dedications and it's no wonder why._

_I'd also like to thank Kool Cat. You give me some the most insightful reviews I could ask for and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate them. You've quickly become one of my good friends on this site._

_And of course it wouldn't be right if I didn't thank everyone else who read and reviewed my story. Since this story took the longest to come out, it means alot to me that you kept with it. I hope my story was entertaining, suspenseful and (ideally) inspirational._

_PLEASE leave any reviews or comments on the final chapter or the story as a whole._

**_-__Joe "Po" Navark_**


End file.
